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Letters from England 




ELIZABETH DAVIS BANCROFT 

Probably taken at Brady's National Gallery, New York, sometime after her 
return from England ; from a picture owned by Elizabeth B. Bliss 



LETTERS 
FROM ENGLAND 

1846 — 1849 

BY 

ELIZABETH DAVIS BANCROFT 

(Mrs. GEORGE BANCROFT) 



WITH PORTRAITS AND VIEWS 



CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
NEW YORK:::::::::::::::::i904 



LiHKkky it CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

MAR 23 1904 

i. Copyright Entry 

rvUu. ii-/<?0 •4- 

CLASS. Cl xXc. No. 
COPY b 



Copyright, 1904, by 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 

Published, March, 1904 



TROW DIRECTORY 
PRINTING AND BOOKBINOINO COMPANY 
NtW YORK 



PREFACE 

Elizabeth Davis Bancroft, the 
writer of these letters, was the young- 
est child and only daughter of William 
and Rebecca Morton Davis, and was 
born at Plymouth, Mass., in October, 
1803. She often spoke in later times 
of what a good preparation for her life 
abroad were the years she spent at Miss 
Cushing's school at Hingham, and of 
her visits to her uncles, Judge Davis 
and Mr. I. P. Davis of Boston. In 
1825 she married Alexander Bliss, a 
brilliant young lawyer and a junior 
partner of Daniel Webster. On his 
death a few years later, her father 
having died, her mother and brother 
formed a household with her and her 



Preface 

two sons in Winthrop Place, Boston. 
As a young girl in Plymouth she be- 
came a great friend of the future Mrs. 
Emerson and later of Mr. Emerson 
and of Mr. and Mrs. Ripley, and 
through them was much interested in 
Brook Farm. 

In 1838 she married George Ban- 
croft, the historian and statesman, who 
was then Collector of the Port of Bos- 
ton and a widower with three children. 
They continued to live in Winthrop 
Place till 1845, when f° r one vear Mr. 
Bancroft was Secretary of the Navy 
in Polk's cabinet. While he was in 
that position the Naval Academy at 
Annapolis was established ; and he 
played an important part in the earlier 
stages of the Mexican War. In the 
fall of 1846 he became Minister to 
England. It was then that the let- 
ters were written from which these ex- 



Preface 

tracts have been taken. A number of 
passages not of general interest have 
been omitted, without any indications 
of such omission in the text, but in no 
case has any change in a sentence been 
made. Most of the letters are in the 
form of a diary and were addressed to 
immediate relatives, and none of them 
were written for publication ; but owing 
to the standing of Mr. Bancroft as a 
man of letters, as well as his official sta- 
tion, the writer saw London life under 
an unusual variety of interesting aspects. 
In 1849 Mr* and Mrs. Bancroft re- 
turned to this country, and Mr. Ban- 
croft occupied himself with his history 
until 1868, when he was for seven 
years Minister to Prussia and the Ger- 
man Empire. At the expiration of 
that time they took up their residence 
in Washington, where they lived dur- 
ing the remainder of their lives. 



PORTRAITS AND VIEWS 



Elizabeth Davis Bancroft .... Frontispiece 

Probably taken at Brady's National Gallery, New York, 
sometime after her return from England ; from a 
picture owned by Elizabeth B. Bliss. 

FACING 
PAGE 

Aston Hall (Bracebridge Hall) .... 8 
Henry Edward, Fourth Lord Holland . . 14 

From the portrait by C. R. Leslie. R. A., at Holland 
House, by permission of the Earl of Ilchester. 

Augusta, Lady Holland 20 

From the portrait by G. F. Watts, R. A., at Holland 
House, by permission of the Earl of Ilchester. 

Holland House 26 



George Bancroft 34 

From the painting by C. C. Ingham in the possession of 
William J. A. Bliss. 

Elizabeth Davis Bancroft 40 

From the painting by C. C. Ingham in the possession of 
William J. A. Bliss. 

The Duke of Wellington 70 

From the portrait by Count Alfred D'Orsay ; photograph 
copyright by Walker & Cockerell, London. 



Portraits and Views 



FACING 
PAGE 



Sir Stratford Canning 74 

From the drawing by Richmond, made about 1848, by 
permission of the Hon. Louisa Canning. 

Lord Ashburton 84 

After Sir T. Lawrence, R. A. 

Miss Berry, at the Age of 86 . . . . 88 

From a crayon drawing by J. R. Swinton (1850) ; from 
a picture owned by Elizabeth B. Bliss. 

A. W. Kinglake ("Eothen") .... 90 

From a photograph. 

Samuel Rogers 98 

From the drawing by G. Richmond (1848) ; photograph 
copyright by Walker & Cockerell, London. 

Lady Byron 106 

From the portrait in the possession of Sir J. Tollemache 
Sinclair, Bart. 

George Hudson, the "Railway King" . 114 

From the engraving after F. Grant. 

Lord Palmerston 130 

From the portrait by Partridge; photograph copyright 
by Walker & Cockerell, London. 

Lady Palmerston * 36 

From a painting, by permission of Sir Francis Gore. 

Mrs. Dawson Darner 154 

From the miniature by Isabey, by permission of Lady 
Constance Leslie. 



Portraits and Views 



FACING 
PAGE 



Mrs. Fitzherbert 160 

From the pastel by J. Russell. 

Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton) 170 

From the drawing by Cousins, by permission of the 
Hon. Mrs. Arthur Henniker. 

Lord George Bentinck 190 

From the picture by Lane, by permission of the Duke 
of Portland. 

Sir Robert Peel 194 

From the mezzotint after Sir T. Lawrence, R. A. 

Lady Peel 198 

After Sir T. Lawrence, R. A. : photograph copyright 
by W. Mansell & Co., London. 

George Bancroft 210 

Probably taken at Brady's National Gallery, New York, 
sometime after his return from England ; from a 
picture owned by Elizabeth B. Bliss. 



Letters from England 



Letters from England 

To JV. D. B. and A. B. 

Liverpool, October 26, 1846. 

My dear Sons : Thank God with 
me that we are once more on terra 
firma. We arrived yesterday morning 
at ten o'clock, after a very rough voy- 
age and after riding all night in the 
Channel in a tremendous gale, so bad 
that no pilot could reach us to bring us 
in on Saturday evening. A record of 
a sea voyage will be only interesting to 
you who love me, but I must give it to 
you that you may know what to expect 
if you ever undertake it ; but first, I 
must sum it all up by saying that of all 
horrors, of all physical miseries, tort- 
ures, and distresses, a sea voyage is 
3 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

the greatest. . . . The Liverpool 
paper this morning, after announcing 
our arrival, says : "The Great West- 
ern, notwithstanding she encountered 
throughout a series of most severe 
gales, accomplished the passage in six- 
teen days and twelve hours." 

To begin at the moment I left New 
York : I was so absorbed by the pain of 
parting from you that I was in a state 
of complete apathy with regard to all 
about me. I did not sentimentalize 
about the "receding shores of my 
country;" I hardly looked at them, 
indeed. Friday I was awoke in the 
middle of the night by the roaring of 
the wind and sea and such motion of 
the vessel. 

The gale lasted all Saturday and Sun- 
day, strong from the North, and as we 
were in the region where the waters of 
the Bay of Fundy run out and meet 

4 



Letters from England 

those of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, after- 
wards we had a strong cross sea. May 
you never experience a "cross sea." 
Oh how I wished it had 
pleased God to plant some little islands 
as resting-places in the great waste of 
waters, some resting station. But no, 
we must keep on, on, with everything 
in motion that your eye could rest on. 
Everything tumbling about. . . . 
We lived through it, however, and the 
sun of Sunday morn rose clear and 
bright. A pilot got on board about 
seven and at ten we were in Liverpool. 
We are at the Adelphi. Before I 
had taken off my bonnet Mr. Richard 
Rathbone, one of the wealthiest mer- 
chants here, called to invite us to dine 
the next day. . . . Mrs. Richard 
Rathbone has written that beautiful 
" Diary of Lady Willoughby," and, 
what is more, they say it is a perfect 
5 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

reflect of her own lovely life and char- 
acter. When she published the book 
no one knew of it but her husband, not 
even her brothers and sisters, and, of 
course, she constantly heard specula- 
tions as to the authenticity of the book, 
and was often appealed to for her 
opinion. She is very unpretending 
and sweet in her manners ; talks little, 
and seems not at all like a literary lady. 
I like these people in Liverpool. 
They seem to me to think less of fash- 
ion and more of substantial excellence 
than our wealthy people. I am not 
sure but the existence of a higher class 
above them has a favorable effect, by 
limiting them in some ways. There is 
much less show of furniture in the 
houses than with us, though their ser- 
vants and equipages are in much bet- 
ter keeping. I am not sorry to be de- 
tained here for a few days by my illness 

6 



Letters from England 

to become acquainted with them, and I 
think your father likes it also, and will 
find it useful to him. Let me say, while 
I think of it, how much I was pleased 
with the Great Western. That upper 
saloon with the air passing through it 
was a great comfort to me. The cap- 
tain, the servants, the table, are all ex- 
cellent. Everything on board was as 
nice as in the best hotel, and my gruels 
and broths beautifully made. One of 
the stewardesses did more for me than 
I ever had done by any servant of my 
own. . . . Your father and Louisa* 
were ill but three or four days, and then 
your father read Tacitus and talked to 
the ladies, while Louisa played with the 
other children. 

The Adelphi, my first specimen of an 
English hotel, is perfectly comfortable, 
and though an immense establishment, 

*Mr. Bancroft's daughter. 
7 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

is quiet as a private house. There is 
none of the bustle of the Astor, and if 
I ring my bedroom bell it is answered 
by a woman who attends to me assidu- 
ously. The landlord pays us a visit 
every day to know if we have all we 
wish. 

London, Sunday, November i. 

Here I am in the mighty heart, but 
before I say one word about it I will go 
on from Wednesday evening with my 
journal. On Thursday, though still very 
feeble, I dined at Green Bank, the coun- 
try-seat of Mr. William Rathbone. I 
was unwilling to leave Liverpool without 
sharing with your father some of the 
hospitalities offered us and made a great 
effort to go. The place is very beauti- 
ful and the house full of comfortable 
elegance. 

The next morning we started for Bir- 
mingham, ninety-seven miles from Liv- 

8 



Letters from England 

erpool, on our way to London, as I am 
unable to travel the whole way in a day. 
On this railway I felt for the first time 
the superiority of England to our own 
country. The cars are divided into first, 
second, and third classes. We took a 
first-class car, which has all the comforts 
of a private carriage. 

Just as we entered Birmingham I ob- 
served the finest seat, surrounded by a 
park wall and with a very picturesque 
old church, that I had seen on the way. 
On enquiring of young Mr. Van Wart, 
who came to see us in Birmingham (the 
nephew of Washington Irving), whose 
place it was, he said it was now called 
Aston Hall and was owned by Mr. 
Watt, but it was formerly owned by the 
Bracebridges, and was the veritable 
"Bracebridge Hall," and that his uncle 
had passed his Christmas there. 

On arriving here we found our rooms 

9 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

all ready for us at Long's Hotel, kept 
by Mr. Markwell, a wine merchant. 
The house is in New Bond Street, in the 
very centre of movement at the West 
End, and Mr. Markwell full of personal 
assiduity, which we never see with us. 
He comes to the carriage himself, gives 
me his arm to go upstairs, is so much 
obliged to us for honoring his house, 
ushers you in to dinner, at least on the 
first day, and seats you, etc., etc. 

Do not imagine us in fresh, new-look- 
ing rooms as we should be in New York 
or Philadelphia. No, in London even 
new things look old, but almost every- 
thing is old. Our parlor has three win- 
dows down to the floor, but it is very 
dark. The paint is maple color, and 
everything is dingy in appearance. The 
window in my bedroom looks like a horn 
lantern, so thick is the smoke, and yet 
everything is scrupulously clean. On 



Letters from England 

our arrival, Boyd, the Secretary of Le- 
gation, soon came, and stayed to dine 
with us at six. Our dinner was an ex- 
cellent soup, the boiled cod garnished 
with fried smelts, the roast beef and a 
fricandeau with sweet breads, then a 
pheasant, and afterwards, dessert. 

This morning Mr. Bates came very 
early to see us, and then Mr. Joseph 
Coolidge, who looks very young and 
handsome; then Mr. Colman, who also 
looks very well, Mr. Boyd and a Mr. 
Haight, of New York, and Mr. Gair, 
son of Mr. Gair of Liverpool, a pleasing 
young man. 

Monday Evening. 

This morning came Mr. Aspinwall, 
then Captain Wormeley, then Dr. Hol- 
land, then Mrs. Bates, then Mr. Joseph 
Jay and his sister, then Tom Appleton, 
Mrs. and Miss Wormeley, and Mrs. 
Franklin Dexter. Dr. Holland came a 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

second time to take me a drive, but Mrs. 
Bates being with me he took your father. 
Mrs. Bates took me to do some shop- 
ping, and to see about some houses. 
They are very desirous we should be in 
their neighborhood, in Portland Place, 
but I have rather a fancy myself for the 
new part of the town. I have been 
so used all my life to see things fresh 
and clean-looking, that I cannot get 
accustomed to the London dinge, and 
some of the finest houses look to me 
as though I would like to give them a 
good scouring. Tell Cousin M. never 
to come to England, she would be 
shocked every minute, with all the gran- 
deur. A new country is cleaner-looking, 
though it may not be so picturesque. 
I got your letters when I arrived 
here, and I wish this may give you but 
a little of the pleasure they gave me. 
Pray never let a steamer come without 

12 



Letters from England 

a token from both of you. . . . With 
love to Grandma and Uncle Thomas, 
believe me, with more love than ever be- 
fore, 

Elizabeth D. Bancroft. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, November 3, 1846. 

. . . This day, at five, your father 
had his first interview with Lord Pal- 
merston, who will acquaint the Queen 
with his arrival, and after she has re- 
ceived him we shall leave our cards upon 
all the ministers and corps diploma- 
tique. 

November 4th. 

Your father had a most agreeable din- 
ner at Lord Holland's. He met there 
Lord and Lady Palmerston, Lord Mor- 
peth, Lord de Mauley, Mr. Harcourt, 
a son of the Archbishop of York, etc. 
He took out Lady Holland and Lord 
13 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Morpeth Lady Palmerston, the only 
ladies present. Holland House is sur- 
rounded by 200 acres in the midst of 
the western part of London, or rather 
Kensington. Lord Holland has no chil- 
dren, and the family dies with him. 
They dined in the room in which Addi- 
son died. 

To-day, to my surprise, came Lady 
Palmerston, which was a great courtesy, 
as it was my place to make the first visit. 
She is the sister of Lord Melbourne. 
Lord de Mauley has also been here. 
. . . To-day I have been driving 
through some of the best streets in Lon- 
don, and my ideas of its extent and mag- 
nificence are rising fast. The houses are 
more picturesque than ours, and some of 
them most noble. The vastness of a 
great capital like this cannot burst upon 
one at once. Its effect increases daily. 
The extent of the Park, surrounded by 
14 




HENRY EDWARD, FOURTH LORD HOLLAND 

From the portrait by C. R. Leslie. R. A., at Holland House, by permission 
the Farl of Ilchester 



Letters from England 

mansions which look, some of them, like 
a whole history in themselves, has to-day 
quite dazzled my imagination. 

November 5th. 

This morning, Thursday, came an in- 
vitation to dine with Lord and Lady 
Palmerston on Saturday. Sir George 
Grey, another of the ministers, came to 
see us to-day and Lord Mahon. Your 
father and I have been all the morning 
looking at houses, and have nearly con- 
cluded upon one in Eaton Square. We 
find a hotel very expensive, and not very 
comfortable for us, as your father is 
very restive without his books about him. 
Mr. Harcourt also came to see us to-day. 
I mention as many of the names of our 
visitors as I can recollect, as it will give 
you some idea of the composition of 
English society. . . . This moment 
a large card in an envelope has been 
15 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

brought me, which runs thus : "The Lord 
Steward has received Her Majesty's 
commands to invite Mr. Bancroft to 
dinner at Windsor Castle on Thursday, 
1 2th November, to remain until Friday, 
13th." I am glad he will dine there be- 
fore me, that he may tell me the order 
of performances. 

Friday, November 6th. 

. . . We had to-day a delightful 
visit from Rogers, the Poet, who is now 
quite old, but with a most interesting 
countenance. He was full of cordiality, 
and, at parting, as he took my hand, 
said: "Our acquaintance must become 
friendship." Mr. Harcourt came again 
and sat an hour with us, and has intro- 
duced your father at the Traveller's Club 
and the Athenaeum Club. To-night 
came my new lady's maid, Russell. She 
dresses hair beautifully, but is rather too 
great a person to suit my fancy. 
16 



Letters from England 

Sunday Evening, November 8th. 
On Friday evening we met at Mrs. 
Wormeley's a cosy little knot of Amer- 
icans. The Dexters were staying there 
and there were Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson 
and Miss Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. Aspin- 
wall, Mr. and Miss Jay, Mr. and Mrs. 
Putnam, Mr. Colman, Mr. Pickering, 
etc. 

Wednesday Evening. 

On Monday we came to our home, 
preferring it to the hotel, though it is 
not yet in order for our reception, and 
we have not yet all our servants. Last 
evening we dined with Lord Morpeth 
at his father's house. His family are all 
out of town, but he remains because of 
his ministerial duties. Lord Morpeth 
took me out and I sat between him and 
Sir George Grey. Your father took out 
Lady Theresa Lewis, who is a sister of 
Lord Clarendon. She was full of intel- 
17 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

ligence and I liked her extremely. Baron 
and Lady Parke (a distinguished judge), 
Lady Morgan, Mr. Mackintosh, Dr. 
and Mrs. Holland (Sidney Smith's 
daughter), and Mr. and Mrs. Franklin 
Dexter, with several others were the 
party. 

During dinner one gentleman was so 
very agreeable that I wondered who he 
could be, but as Lord Palmerston had 
told me that Mr. Macaulay was in 
Edinburgh, I did not think of him. 
After the ladies left the gentlemen, my 
first question to Mrs. Holland was the 
name of her next neighbor. "Why, Mr. 
Macaulay," was her answer, and I was 
pleased not to have been disappointed in 
a person of whom I had heard so much. 
When the gentlemen came in I was in- 
troduced to him and talked to him and 
heard him talk not a little. 

These persons all came the next day 

18 



Letters from England 

to see us, which gave rise to fresh invi- 
tations. 

This morning we have been driving 
round to leave cards on the corps diplo- 
matique, and Mr. Harcourt has taken 
me all over the Athenseum Club-house, 
a superb establishment. They have 
given your father an invitation to the 
Club, a privilege which is sometimes 
sought for years, Mr. Harcourt says. 
. . . Have I not needed all my en- 
ergies? We have been here just a fort- 
night, and I came so ill that I could 
hardly walk. We are now at house- 
keeping, and I am in the full career of 
London society. They told me I should 
see no one until spring, but you see we 
dine out or go out in the evening almost 
every day. . . . For the gratification 
of S. D. or Aunt I., who may wonder 
how I get along in dress matters, going 
out as I did in my plain black dress, I 
19 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

will tell you that Mrs. Murray, the 
Queen's dressmaker, made me, as soon 
as I found these calls and invitations 
pouring in, two dresses. One of black 
velvet, very low, with short sleeves, and 
another of very rich black watered silk, 
with drapery of black tulle on the cor- 
sage and sleeves. ... I have fitted 
myself with several pretty little head- 
dresses, some in silver, some with plumes, 
but all white, and I find my velvet and 
silk suit all occasions. I do not like din- 
ing with bare arms and neck, but I 
must. 

Tuesday, November 1 7th. 

Last evening we passed at the Earl of 
Auckland's, the head of the Admiralty. 
The party was at the Admiralty, where 
there is a beautiful residence for the first 
lord. ... I had a long talk with 
Lord Morpeth last evening about Mr. 
Sumner, and told him of his nomination. 
20 




AUGUSTA, LADY HOLLAND 

From the portrait by G. F. Watts, R. A., at Holland House, by permission of 
the Karl of Ilchester 



Letters from England 

He has a strong regard for him. . . . 
Not a moment have I had to a London 
"lion." I have driven past Westminster, 
but have not been in it. I have seen 
nothing of London but what came in 
my way in returning visits. 

To I. P. D. 

London, November 17, 1846. 

My dear Uncle : I cannot help re- 
freshing the remembrance of me with 
you and dear Aunty by addressing a 
separate letter to you. . . . Yester- 
day we hailed with delight our letters 
from home. . . . One feels in a for- 
eign land the absence of common sym- 
pathies and interests, which always sur- 
round us in any part of our own country. 
And yet nothing can exceed the kind- 
ness with which we have been received 
here. 

Last evening I went to my first great 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

English dinner and it was a most agree- 
able one. ... It seems a little odd 
to a republican woman to find herself in 
right of her country taking precedence 
of marchionesses, but one soon gets used 
to all things. We sat down to dinner at 
eight and got through about ten. When 
the ladies rose, I found I was expected 
to go first. After dinner other guests 
were invited and to the first person who 
came in, about half-past ten, Lady Pal- 
merston said : "Oh, thank you for com- 
ing so early." This was Lady Tanker- 
ville of the old French family of de 
Grammont and niece to Prince Polignac. 
The next was Lady Emily de Burgh, the 
daughter of the Marchioness of Clanri- 
carde, a beautiful girl of seventeen. She 
is very lovely, wears a Grecian braid 
round her head like a coronet, and al- 
ways sits by her mother, which would 
not suit our young girls. Then came 



Letters from England 

Lord and Lady Ashley, Lord Ebring- 
ton, and so many titled personages that 
I cannot remember half. 

The dinner is much the same as ours 
in all its modes of serving, but they have 
soles and turbot, instead of our fishes, 
and their pheasants are not our pheas- 
ants, or their partridges our partridges. 
Neither have we so many footmen with 
liveries of all colors, or so much gold 
and silver plate. . . . The next 
morning Mr. Bancroft breakfasted with 
Dr. Holland to meet the Marquis of 
Lansdowne alone. [Thursday] he went 
down to Windsor to dine with the 
Queen. He took out to dinner the 
Queen's mother, the Duchess of Kent, 
the Queen going with the Prince of 
Saxe-Weimar, who was paying a visit 
at the Castle. He talked German to 
the Duchess during dinner, which I sus- 
pect she liked, for the Queen spoke of 
23 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

it to him afterwards, and Lord Pal- 
merston told me the Duchess said he 
spoke very pure German. While he 
was dining at Windsor I went to a 
party all alone at the Countess Grey's, 
which I thought required some courage. 
Of all the persons I see here the 
Marquis of Lansdowne excites the most 
lively regard. His countenance and 
manners are full of benevolence and 
I think he understands America bet- 
ter than anyone else of the high aris- 
tocracy. I told him I was born at 
Plymouth and was as proud of my 
pure Anglo-Saxon Pilgrim descent as if 
it were traced from a line of Norman 
Conquerors. Nearly all the ministers 
and their wives came to see us immedi- 
ately, without waiting for us to make the 
first visit, which is the rule, and almost 
every person whom we have met in soci- 
ety, which certainly indicates an amiable 
24 



Letters from England 

feeling toward our country. We could 
not well have received more courtesy 
than we have done, and it has been ex- 
tended freely and immediately, without 
waiting for the forms of etiquette. Pray 
say to Mr. Everett how often we hear 
persons speak of him, and with highest 
regard. I feel as if we were reaping 
some of the fruits of his sowing. 

Mr. Bancroft sends you a pack of 
cards, one of the identical two packs 
with which the Queen played Patience 
the evening he was at Windsor. They 
were the perquisite of a page who 
brought them to him. He was much 
pleased with the Queen and thought her 
much prettier than any representation 
of her which we have seen, and with a 
very sweet expression. Lady Holland 
had been staying two or three days at 
Windsor, and was to leave the next 
morning. When the Queen took leave 
25 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

of her at night, she kissed her quite in 
my Virginia fashion. 

Dear Uncle : How much more your 
niece would have written if to-day were 
not packet day, I cannot say. I shall 
send you some newspapers and a pack 
of cards which I saw in the Queen's 
hands. The American Minister and 
Mrs. Bancroft have since played a game 
of piquet with them. The Queen's 
hands were as clean as her smile was 
gracious. Best regards to the Judge 
and Aunt Isaac. 

Yours most truly, 

George Bancroft. 



To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, November 29, 1846. 
After a long interval I find again a 
quiet Sunday evening to resume my jour- 
26 



Letters from England 

nal to you. On Monday we dined at 
Lord John Russell's, and met many 
of the persons we have met before and 
the Duchess of Inverness, the widow of 
the Duke of Sussex. On Tuesday we 
dined at Dr. Holland's. His wife and 
daughter are charming, and then we 
met, besides, Lady Charlotte Lindsay, 
the only surviving child of Lord North, 
Mr. and Mrs. Milman (the author of 
the "Fall of Jerusalem"), and Mr. Ma- 
caulay. Yesterday I went to return the 
visit of the Milmans and found that the 
entrance to their house, he being a pre- 
bend of Westminster Abbey, was actual- 
ly in the cloisters of the Abbey. They 
were not at home, but I took my foot- 
man and wandered at leisure through 
the cloisters, treading at every step on 
the tomb of some old abbot with dates 
of 1 1 60 and thereabouts. 

Nothing could be more delightful than 
27 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

London is now, if I had only a little 
more physical vigor to enjoy it. We see 
everybody more frequently, and know 
them better than in the full season, and 
we have some of the best specimens of 
English society, too, here just now, as 
the Whig ministry brings a good deal 
of the ability of the aristocracy to its 
aid. The subjects of conversation among 
women are more general than with us, 
and [they] are much more cultivated 
than our women as a body, not our blues. 
They never sew, or attend, as we do, to 
domestic affairs, and so live for social 
life and understand it better. 

London, December 2, 1 846. 

My dear Mrs. Polk* : You told me 
when I parted from you at Washington 
that you would like to get from me occa- 
sionally some accounts of my experiences 

*Wife of President Polk. 
28 



Letters from England 

in English society. I thought at that 
time that we should see very little of it 
until the spring, but contrary to my ex- 
pectation we have been out almost every 
day since our arrival. We made our 
debut in London on the first day of No- 
vember (the suicidal month you know) 
in the midst of an orange-colored fog, 
in which you could not see your hand 
before you. The prospect for the win- 
ter seemed, I must say, rather "triste," 
but the next day the fog cleared off, peo- 
ple came constantly to see us, and we had 
agreeable invitations for every day, and 
London put on a new aspect. Our first 
dinner was at Lord Palmerston's, where 
we met what the newspapers call a dis- 
tinguished circle. The Marquis of Lans- 
downe, Lord and Lady John Russell, 
Marquis and Marchioness of Clanri- 
carde (Canning's daughter), Earl and 

Countess Grey, Sir George and Lady 

29 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Grey, etc., etc. I was taken out by Lord 
Palmerston, with Lord Grey on the other 
side, and found the whole thing very like 
one of our Washington dinners, and I 
was quite as much at my ease, and they 
seemed made of the same materials as 
our cabinet at home. I have since dined 
at Lord Morpeth's, Lord John Rus- 
sell's, Lord Mahon's, Dr. Holland's, 
Baron Parke's, the Prussian Minister's, 
and to-day we dine with the Duchess of 
Inverness, the widow of the Duke of 
Sussex; to-morrow with Mr. Milman, a 
prebend of Westminster and a distin- 
guished man of letters. We have been 
at a great many soirees, at Lady Pal- 
merston's, Lady Grey's, Lord Auck- 
land's, Lady Lewis's, etc., etc. 

And now, having given you some 

idea whom we are seeing here, you 

will wish to know how I like them, and 

how they differ from our own people. 

30 



Letters from England 

At the smaller dinners and soirees at this 
season I cannot, of course, receive a full 
impression of English society, but cer- 
tainly those persons now in town are 
charming people. Their manners are 
perfectly simple and I entirely forget, ex- 
cept when their historic names fall upon 
my ear, that I am with the proud aris- 
tocracy of England. All the persons 
whose names I have mentioned to you 
give one a decided impression not only 
of ability and agreeable manners, but of 
excellence and the domestic virtues. The 
furniture and houses, too, are less splen- 
did and ostentatious, than those of our 
large cities, though [they] have more 
plate, and liveried servants. The forms 
of society and the standard of dress, too, 
are very like ours, except that a duchess 
or a countess has more hereditary point 
lace and diamonds. The general style 
of dress, perhaps, is not so tasteful, so 
31 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

simply elegant as ours. Upon the whole 
I think more highly of our own country 
(I mean from a social point of view 
alone) than before I came abroad. 
There is less superiority over us in man- 
ners and all the social arts than I could 
have believed possible in a country where 
a large and wealthy class have been set 
apart from time immemorial to create, 
as it were, a social standard of high re- 
finement. The chief difference that I 
perceive is this : In our country the posi- 
tion of everybody is undefined and rests 
altogether upon public opinion. This 
leads sometimes to a little assumption 
and pretension of manner, which the 
highest class here, whose claims are al- 
ways allowed by all about them, are 
never tempted to put on. From this re- 
sults an extreme simplicity of manner, 
like that of a family circle among us. 
What I have said, however, applies 
32 



Letters from England 

less to the South than to the large cities 
of the North, with which I am most fa- 
miliar at home. I hope our memory will 
not be completely effaced in Washington, 
for we cling to our friends there with 
strong interest. Present my respectful 
regards to the President, and my love to 
Mrs. Walker and Miss Rucker. To the 
Masons also, and our old colleagues all, 
and pray lay your royal commands upon 
somebody to write me. I long to know 
what is going on in Washington. The 
Pleasantons promised to do so, and An- 
nie Payne, to whom and to Mrs. Madi- 
son give also my best love. Believe me 
yours with the highest regard, 

E. D. Bancroft. 



33 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

December z. 
Yesterday we dined at the Prussian 
Minister's, Chevalier Bunsen's. He met 
your father in Rome twenty years since, 
and has received us with great enthusi- 
asm. Yesterday at dinner he actually 
rose in his seat and made quite a speech 
welcoming him to England as historian, 
old friend, etc., and ended by offering 
his health, which your father replied to 
shortly, in a few words. Imagine such 
an outbreak upon routine at a dinner in 
England ! Nobody could have done it 
but one of German blood, but I dare say 
the Everetts, who know him, could im- 
agine it all. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, December 19, 1846. 

My dear Sons: . . . Yesterday 
we dined at Macready's and met quite a 
new, and to us, a most agreeable circle. 

34 




■■!■■ 

GEORGE BANCROFT 
From the painting by C. C. Ingham in the possession of William J. A. Bliss 



Letters from England 

There was Carlyle, who talked all din- 
ner-time in his broad Scotch, in the most 
inimitable way. He is full of wit, and 
happened to get upon James I., upon 
which topic he was superb. Then there 
was Babbage, the great mathematician, 
Fonblanc, the editor of the Examiner, 
etc., etc. The day before we dined at 
Mr. Frederick Elliott's with a small 
party of eight, of which Lady Morgan 
was one, and also a brother of Lord Nor- 
manby's, whom I liked very much. Lady 
Morgan, who had not hitherto much 
pleased me, came out in this small circle 
with all her Irish wit and humor, and 
gave me quite new notions of her talent. 
She made me laugh till I cried. On Sat- 
urday we dined at Sir Roderick Murchi- 
son's, the President of the Geological 
Society, very great in the scientific way. 
We have struck up a great friendship 
with Miss Murray, the Queen's Maid 

35 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

of Honor, who paid me a visit of three 
hours to-day, in the midst of which 
came in Colonel Estcourt, whom I was 
delighted to see, as you may suppose. 
Miss Murray is to me a very interest- 
ing person, though a great talker; a con- 
venient fault to a stranger. She is con- 
nected with half the noble families in 
England, is the grand-daughter of the 
Duchess of Athol, who governed the Isle 
of Man as a queen, and the descendant 
of Scott's Countess of Derby. Though 
sprung of such Tory blood, and a maid 
of honor, she thinks freely upon all sub- 
jects. Religion, politics, and persons, 
she decides upon for herself, and has as 
many benevolent schemes as old Madam 
Jackson. 

I returned the visit of Mr. and Mrs. 

Leslie, the painter, this week, and saw 

the picture he is now painting for the 

Vice-Chancellor. It is a sketch of chil- 

36 



Letters from England 

dren, a boy driving his two little sisters 
as horses. One of the little girls is very 
like Susie,* her size, hair, and complex- 
ion. How I longed to be rich enough 
to order a copy, but his pictures cost a 
fortune. I paid also a visit this week to 
the Duchess of Inverness, whom I found 
in the prettiest, cosiest morning boudoir 
looking onto the gardens of the Palace. 
In short, I do, or see, every hour, some- 
thing that if I were a traveller only, I 
could make quite a story of. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, January I, 1847. 

My dear Sons : . . . I wrote my 
last sheet on the 19th and your father 
went on that day to Cambridge to be 
present at the tri-centennial celebration 
of Trinity College. . . . He went 
also the day after the anniversary, which 

*Only child of Mrs. Bancroft's second marriage, who had 
died at the age of seven. 

37 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

was on our 2 2d December, to Ely, with 
Peacock, the great mathematician, who 
is Dean of Ely, to see the great cathedral 
there. . . . While he was at Cam- 
bridge I passed the evening of the 22d 
at Lady Morgan's, who happened to 
have a most agreeable set. . . . Lady 
Morgan's reunions are entertaining to 
me because they are collections of lions, 
but they are not strictly and exclusively 
fashionable. They remind me in their 
composition from various circles of Mrs. 
Otis's parties in Boston. We have in 
this respect an advantage over the Eng- 
lish themselves, as in our position we see 
a great variety of cliques. 

For instance, last evening, the 31st, 
I took Louisa, at half-past seven, to the 
house of Mr. Hawes, an under Secre- 
tary of State, to see a beautiful chil- 
dren's masque. It was an impersona- 
tion of the "Old Year" dressed a little 
38 



Letters from England 

like Lear with snowy hair and dra- 
peries. Old Year played his part in- 
imitably, at times with great pathos, 
and then introducing witty hits at all 
the doings of his reign, such as explod- 
ing cotton, the new planet, a subject 
which he put at rest as "far beyond our 
reach," etc., etc. He then introduced 
one by one the children of all ages as 
"Days" of the coming year. There was 
Twelfth Day, crowned as Queen with 
her cake in her hands ; there was Christ- 
mas, covered with holly and mistletoe; 
there was April Fool's Day, dressed as 
Harlequin; there was, above all, Shrove 
Tuesday, with her frying-pan of pan- 
cakes, dressed as a little cook; there was 
a charming boy of fourteen or fifteen, as 
St. Valentine's Day with his packet of 
valentines addressed to the young ladies 
present; there was the 5*/* of November, 
full of wit and fun, etc.; the longest day, 
39 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

an elder brother, of William's height, 
with a cap of three or four feet high; 
and his little sister of five, as the shortest 
day. This was all arranged to music 
and each made little speeches, introduc- 
ing themselves. The Old Year, after 
introducing his successors, and after 
much pathos, is "going, going — gone," 
and falls covered with his drapery, upon 
removing which, instead of the lifeless 
body of the Old Year, is discovered a 
sweet little flower-crowned girl of five or 
six, as the New Year. It was charming, 
and I was so pleased that, instead of 
taking Louisa away at nine o'clock as I 
intended, I left her to see "Sir Roger de 
Coverly," in the dress of his time. 

Last night at Mr. Putnam's, I met 
William and Mary Howitt, and some of 
the lesser lights. I have put down my 
pen to answer a note, just brought in, to 
dine next Thursday with the Dowager 
40 




ELIZABETH DAVIS BANCROFT 
From the painting by C. C. Ingham in the possession of William J. A. lilisi 



Letters from England 

Countess of Charleville, where we were 
last week, In the evening. She is eighty- 
four (tell this to Grandmamma) and 
likes still to surround herself with beaux 
and belles esprits, and as her son and 
daughter reside with her, this is still 
easy. . . . The old lady talks French 
as fast as possible, and troubles me some- 
what by talking it to me, forgetting that 
a foreign minister's wife can talk Eng- 
lish. . . . Your father likes to be 
here. He has copying going on in the 
State Paper Office and British Museum, 
and his heart is full of manuscripts. It 
is the first thought, I believe, whoever 
he sees, what papers are in their family. 
He makes great interest with even the 
ladies sometimes for this purpose. Upon 
the whole, I love my own country better 
than ever, but whether I shall not miss, 
upon my return, some things to which I 
am gradually getting accustomed, I have 
41 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

yet to learn. The gratification of mixing 
constantly with those foremost in the 
world for rank, science, literature, or all 
which adorns society is great, but there 
is a certain yearning toward those whose 
habits, education, and modes of thought 
are the same as our own, which I never 
can get over. In the full tide of conver- 
sation I often stop and think, "I may 
unconsciously be jarring the prejudices 
or preconceived notions of these people 
upon a thousand points; for how differ- 
ently have I been trained from these 
women of high rank, and men, too, with 
whom I am now thrown." Upon all 
topics we are accustomed to think, per- 
haps, with more latitude, religion, poli- 
tics, morals, everything. I like the 
English extremely, even more than I ex- 
pected, and yet happy am I to think that 
our own best portions of society can bear 
a comparison with theirs. When I see 
42 



Letters from England 

you I can explain to you the differences, 
but I think we need not be ashamed of 
ourselves. 

To I. P. D. 

London, January 2, 1847. 

My dear Uncle: ... I refer 
you to my letters to my boys, for all the 
new persons and places we may have seen 
lately, while I give you for Aunty's 
amusement a minute account of my visit 
into the country at Mr. Bates's, where 
things are managed in a scrupulously 
English manner, so that it will give her 
the same idea of country life here, as if 
it were a nobleman's castle. Our invi- 
tation was to arrive on Thursday, the 
day before Christmas, to dine, and to 
remain until the following Tuesday 
morning. His place is at East Sheen, 
which receives its name from the Anglo- 
Saxon word for beauty. It adjoins Rich- 
mond Park, beyond which is the cele- 
43 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

brated Richmond Hill, Twickenham, 
Kew, etc., etc. . . . We arrived at 
East Sheen at half-past five; but I ought 
first to mention the preparations for a 
country excursion. Our own carriage 
has, of course, no dickey for my maid, 
or conveniences for luggage, so we take 
a travelling carriage. The imperials 
(which are large, flat boxes, covering 
the whole top of the carriage, capital 
for velvet dresses, and smaller ones fit- 
ting into all the seats in the carriage, 
and before and behind) are brought to 
you the day before. I am merely asked 
what dresses I wish taken, and that is 
all I know of the matter, so thoroughly 
does an English maid understand her 
business. We were shown on our arri- 
val into a charming room, semi-library. 
In a few minutes a servant came to 
show me to my apartment, which was 
very superb, with a comfortable dress- 

44 



Letters from England 

ing-room and fire for Mr. Bancroft, 
where the faithful Keats unpacked his 
dressing materials, while I was in a few 
moments seated at the toilet to undergo 
my hair-dressing, surrounded by all my 
apparatus, and a blazing fire to welcome 
me with a hissing tea-kettle of hot water 
and every comfort. How well the Eng- 
lish understand it, I learn more and 
more every day. My maid had a large 
room above me, also with a fire ; indeed, 
a "lady's" maid is a very great character 
indeed, and would be much more unwill- 
ing to take her tea with, or speak famil- 
iarly to, a footman or a housemaid than 
I should. My greatest mistakes in Eng- 
land have been committed toward those 
high dignitaries, my own maid and the 
butler, whose grandeur I entirely misap- 
preciated and invaded, as in my igno- 
rance I placed them, as we do, on the 
same level with other servants. She has 

45 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

her fire made for her, and loaf sugar in 
her tea, which she and Cates sip in soli- 
tary majesty. However, she is most con- 
scientious and worthy, as well as digni- 
fied, and thoroughly accomplished in her 
business. As all these things are pictures 
of English life, I mention them to amuse 
Aunty, who likes to know how these mat- 
ters are managed. 

After I am dressed, I join the circle 
in the library, where I am introduced to 
Mr. and Madam Van de Weyer, and 
Louis Buonaparte, the son of Louis, the 
ex-King of Holland, and of Hortense, 
Josephine's daughter. He was a long 
time imprisoned in the fortress of Ham, 
and has not long been free. There was 
also Napoleon, son of Jerome Buona- 
parte, and the Princess of Wurtemberg. 
They were most agreeable, intelligent, 
and amiable young men, and I was glad 
to meet them. Lord and Lady Lang- 
4 6 



Letters from England 

dale (who have a place in the neighbor- 
hood) were invited to dine with us. He 
is Master of the Rolls and was elevated 
to the peerage from great distinction at 
the bar. Lady Langdale is a sensible 
and excellent person. At dinner I sat 
between Mr. Bates and Lord Langdale, 
whom I liked very much. 

The next morning we assembled at ten 
for breakfast, which was at a round 
table, with a sort of circular tray, which 
turns at the least touch in the centre, 
leaving only a rim round the table for 
plates and cups. This was covered also 
with a white cloth and on it were placed 
all the breakfast viands, with butter, su- 
gar, cream, bread, toast-rack and pre- 
serves. You need no servants, but turn 
it round and help yourself. I believe 
the Van de Weyers introduced it, from 
a visit in Wales. Tea and coffee are 
served from a side-table always, here. 

47 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Let me tell Aunty that our simple break- 
fast dress is unknown in England. You 
come down in the morning dressed for 
the day, until six or seven in the evening, 
when your dress is low neck and short 
sleeves for dinner. At this season the 
morning dress is a rich silk or velvet, 
high body quite close in the throat with 
handsome collar and cuffs, and always a 
cap. Madam Van de Weyer wore every 
day a different dress, all very rich, but I 
adhered to a black watered silk with the 
same simple cap I wore at home. 

I took a drive through Richmond 
Park (where Henry the Eighth watched 
to see a signal on the Tower when Anne 
Boleyn's head fell, and galloped off to 
marry Jane Seymour) to Richmond Ter- 
race, which is ravishingly beautiful even 
at this season. . . . The next day 
the gentlemen all went to town, and 
Madam Van de Weyer and I passed the 



Letters from England 

day tete-a-tete, very pleasantly, as her 
experience in diplomatic life is very use- 
ful to me. . . . Her manners are 
very pleasing and entirely unaffected. 
She has great tact and quickness of per- 
ception, great intelligence and amiabil- 
ity and is altogether extremely well-fitted 
for the role she plays in life. Her hus- 
band is charming. . . . They have 
three children, very lovely. The eldest, 
Victor, a fine boy of seven years old, Vic- 
toria, a girl of four, for whom the Queen 
was sponsor, and Albert, to whom Prince 
Albert performed the same office. This 
was, of course, voluntary in the royal 
parties, as it was not a favor to be asked. 
. . . Madam Van de Weyer is not 
spoiled, certainly, by the prominent part 
she was called to play in this great cen- 
tre of the world at so early an age, and 
makes an excellent courtier. I could not 
help pitying her, however, for looking 

49 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

forward to going through, year after 
year, the same round of ceremonies, 
forms, and society. For us, it is a new 
study, and invaluable for a short time; 
but I could not bear it for life, as these 
European diplomatists. Besides, we 
Americans really enjoy a kind of society, 
and a much nearer intercourse than other 
foreigners, in the literary, scientific, and 
even social circles. 

On Saturday evening Lord William 
Fitzroy and daughter joined our party 
with Sir William Hooker and Lady 
Hooker. ... Sir William Hooker 
is one of the most interesting persons I 
have seen in England. He is a great 
naturalist and has the charge of the great 
Botanical Gardens at Kew. He devoted 
a morning to us there, and it was the 
most delightful one I have passed. There 
are twenty-eight different conservatories 
filled with the vegetable wonders of the 
50 



Letters from England 

whole world. Length of time and regal 
wealth have conspired to make the Kew 
gardens beyond our conceptions entirely. 
... Sir William pointed out to us all 
that was very rare or curious, which add- 
ed much to my pleasure. . . . He 
showed us a drawing of the largest 
flower ever known on earth, which Sir 
Stamford Raffles discovered in Sumatra. 
It was a parasite without leaves or stem, 
and the flower weighed fifteen pounds. 
Lady Raffles furnished him the materials 
for the drawing. I dined in company 
with her not long ago, and regret now 
that I did not make her tell me about 
the wonders of that region. At the same 
dinner you may meet so many people, 
each having their peculiar gift, that 
one cannot avail oneself of the oppor- 
tunity of extracting from each what is 
precious. I always wish I could sit by 
everybody at the same time, and I could 
51 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

often employ a dozen heads, if I had 
them, instead of my poor, miserable one. 
From Sir William Hooker / learned as 
much about the vegetable world, as Mr. 
Bancroft did from the Dean of Ely on 
architecture, when he expounded to him 
the cathedral of Ely; pointing out the 
successive styles of the Gothic, and the 
different periods in which the different 
parts were built. Books are dull teach- 
ers compared with these gifted men giv- 
ing you a lecture upon subjects before 
your eyes. 

On Sunday we dined with our own 
party; on Monday some diplomatic peo- 
ple, the Lisboas and one of Mr. Bates's 
partners, and on Tuesday we came home. 
I must not omit a visit while we were 
there from Mr. Taylor (Van Arte- 
velde), who is son-in-law of Lord Mont- 
eagle, and lives in the neighborhood. 
He has a fine countenance and still finer 
52 



Letters from England 

voice, and is altogether one of those lit- 
erary persons who do not disappoint you, 
but whose whole being is equal to their 
works. I hope to see more of him, as 
they spoke of "cultivating" us, and Mr. 
Taylor was quite a protege of our kind 
and dear friend, Dr. Holland, and dedi- 
cated his last poem to him. This ex- 
pression, "I shall cultivate you," we hear 
constantly, and it strikes me as oddly as 
our Western "being raised." Indeed, I 
hear improper Anglicisms constantly, 
and they have nearly as many as we 
have. The upper classes, here, however, 
do speak English so roundly and fully, 
giving every letter its due, that it pleases 
my ear amazingly. 

On Wednesday I go for the first time 
to Westminster Abbey, on Epiphany, to 
hear the Athanasian Creed chanted. I 
have as yet had no time for sight-seeing, 
as the days are so short that necessary 

53 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

visits take all my time. No one goes out 
in a carriage till after two, as the ser- 
vants dine at one, and in the morning 
early the footman is employed in the 
house. A coachman never leaves his 
box here, and a footman is indispensable 
on all occasions. No visit can be paid 
till three; and this gives me very little 
time in these short days. Everything 
here is inflexible as the laws of the Medes 
and Persians, and though I am called 
"Mistress" even by old Cates with his 
gray hair and black coat, I cannot make 
one of them do anything, except by the 
person and at the time which English 
custom prescribes. They are brought up 
to fill certain situations, and fill them 
perfectly, but cannot or will not vary. 

I am frequently asked by the ladies 
here if I have formed a household to 
please me and I am obliged to confess 
that I have a very nice household, but 

54 



Letters from England 

that I am the only refractory member of 
it. I am always asking the wrong per- 
son for coals, etc., etc. The division of 
labor, or rather ceremonies, between the 
butler and footman, I have now mastered 
I believe in some degree, but that be- 
tween the upper and under house-maid 
is still a profound mystery to me, though 
the upper has explained to me for the 
twentieth time that she did only "the 
top of the work." My cook comes up 
to me every morning for orders, and al- 
ways drops the deepest curtsey, but then 
I doubt if her hands are ever profaned 
by touching a poker, and she never 
washes a dish. She is cook and house- 
keeper, and presides over the housekeep- 
er's room; which has a Brussels carpet 
and centre table, with one side entirely 
occupied by the linen presses, of which 
my maid (my vice-regent, only much 
greater than me) keeps the key and dis- 
ss 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

penses every towel, even for the kitchen. 
She keeps lists of everything and would 
feel bound to replace anything missing. 
I shall make you laugh and Mrs. Good- 
win stare, by some of my housekeeping 
stories, the next evening I pass in your 
little pleasant parlor (a word unknown 
here) . 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, January 10, 1847. 

My very dear Children: . . . 
Yesterday we dined at Lady Charle- 
ville's, the old lady of eighty-four, at 
whose house I mentioned an evening 
visit in my last, and I must tell you all 
about it to entertain dear Grandma. I 
will be minute for once, and give you 
the little details of a London dinner, and 
they are all precisely alike. We arrived 
at Cavendish Square a quarter before 
seven (very early) and were shown into 
56 



Letters from England 

a semi-library on the same floor with the 
dining-room. The servants take your 
cloak, etc., in the passage, and I am never 
shown into a room with a mirror as with 
us, and never into a chamber or bedroom. 
We found Lady Charleville and her 
daughter with one young gentleman with 
whom I chatted till dinner, and who, I 
found, was Sir William Burdette, son of 
Sir Francis and brother of Miss Angel- 
ina Coutts. I happened to have on the 
corsage of my black velvet a white moss 
rose and buds, which I thought rather 
youthful for me, but the old lady had 
[them] on her cap. She is full of intelli- 
gence, and has always been in the habit 
of drawing a great deal. . . . Very 
soon came in Lord Aylmer, [who] was 
formerly Governor of Canada, and Lady 
Colchester, daughter of Lord Ellenbor- 
ough, a very pretty woman of thirty-five, 
I should think; Sir William and Lady 

57 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Chatterton and Mr. Algernon Greville, 
whose grandmother wrote the beautiful 
"Prayer for Indifference," an old favor- 
ite of mine, and Mr. MacGregor, the 
political economist. Lord Aylmer took 
me out and I found him a nice old peer, 
and discovered that ever since the death 
of his uncle. Lord Whitworth, whose 
title is extinct, he had borne the arms 
of both Aylmer and Whitworth. Mr. 
Bancroft took out Lady Colchester, and 
the old lady was wheeled out precisely 
as Grandma is. 

At table she helped to the fish (cod, 
garnished round with smelts) and insist- 
ed on carving the turkey herself, which 
she did extremely well. By the way, I 
observe they never carve the breast of a 
turkey longitudinally, as we do, but in 
short slices, a little diagonally from the 
centre. This makes many more slices, 
and quite large enough where there are 
58 



Letters from England 

so many other dishes. The four entree 
dishes are always placed on the table 
when we sit down, according to our old 
fashion, and not one by one. They have 
[them] warmed with hot water, so that 
they keep hot while the soup and fish 
are eaten. Turkey, even boiled turkey, 
is brought on after the entrees, mutton 
(a saddle always) or venison, with a 
pheasant or partridges. With the roast 
is always put on the sweets, as they are 
called, as the term dessert seems restrict- 
ed to the last course of fruits. During 
the dinner there are always long strips 
of damask all round the table which are 
removed before the dessert is put on, and 
there is no brushing of crumbs. You 
may not care for all this, but the house- 
keepers may. I had Mr. Greville the 
other side of me, who seemed much sur- 
prised that I, an American, should know 
the "Prayer for Indifference," which he 

59 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

doubted if twenty persons in England 
read in these modern days. 

It is a great mystery to me yet how 
people get to know each other in Lon- 
don. Persons talk to you whom you do 
not know, for no one is introduced, as 
a general rule. I have sometimes quite 
an acquaintance with a person, and ex- 
change visits, and yet do not succeed for 
a long time in putting the name and the 
person together. . . . It is a great 
puzzle to a stranger, but has its conven- 
iences for the English themselves. We 
are endeavoring to become acquainted 
with the English mind, not only through 
society, but through its products in other 
ways. Natural science is the department 
into which they seem to have thrown 
their intellect most effectively for the 
last ten or fifteen years. We are read- 
ing Whewell's "History of the Induc- 
tive Sciences," which gives one a sum- 
60 



Letters from England 

mary of what has been accomplished in 
that way, not only in past ages, but in 
the present. Every moment here is pre- 
cious to me and I am anxious to make 
the best use of it, but I have immense 
demands on my time in every way. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

Tuesday night, January 19, 1847. 

To-day we have been present at the 
opening of Parliament, but how can I 
picture to you the interest and magnifi- 
cence of the scene. I will begin quite 
back, and give you all the preparations 
for a "Court Day." Ten days before, 
a note was written to Lord Willoughby 
d'Eresby, informing him of my intention 
to attend, that a seat might be reserved 
for me, and also soliciting several tickets 
for American ladies and gentlemen. 
I cannot take them with me, 
however, as the seat assigned to the la- 
61 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

dies of Foreign Ministers is very near 
the throne. This morning when I awoke 
the fog was thicker than I ever knew 
it, even here. The air was one dense 
orange-colored mass. What a pity the 
English cannot borrow our bright blue 
skies in which to exhibit their royal 
pageants ! 

Mr. Bancroft's court dress had not 
been sent home, our servants' liveries had 
not made their appearance, and our car- 
riage only arrived last night, and I had 
not passed judgment upon it. Fogs and 
tradesmen 1 these are the torments of 
London. Very soon came the tailor 
with embroidered dress, sword, and cha- 
peau, but, alas! Mr. Isidore, who was 
to have dressed my hair at half-past ten 
was not forthcoming, and to complete 
my perplexity, he had my head-dress in 
his possession. At last, just as Russell 
had resumed her office at the toilet, came 
6e 



Letters from England 

Isidore, a little before twelve, coiffure 
and all, which was so pretty that I quite 
forgave him all his sins. It was of green 
leaves and white fleur-de-lis, with a white 
ostrich feather drooping on one side. I 
wear my hair now plain in front, and the 
wreath was very flat and classical in its 
style. My dress was black velvet with 
a very rich bertha. A bouquet on the 
front of fleur-de-lis, like the coiffure, and 
a Cashmere shawl, completed my array. 
I have had the diamond pin and earrings 
which your father gave me, reset, and 
made into a magnificent brooch, and so 
arranged that I can also wear it as a 
necklace or bracelet. On this occasion 
it was my necklace. 

Miss Murray came to go with me, as 
she wished to be by my side to point 
out everybody, and her badge as Maid 
of Honor would take her to any part of 
the house. At half-past twelve she and 
63 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

I set out, and after leaving us the car- 
riage returned for your father and Mr. 
Brodhead. But first let me tell you some- 
thing of our equipage. It is a chariot, 
not a coach ; that is, it has but one seat, 
but the whole front being glass makes 
it much more agreeable to such persons 
as have not large families. The color 
is maroon, with a silver moulding, and 
has the American arms on the panel. 
The liveries are blue and red; on Court 
Days they have blue plush breeches, and 
white silk stockings, with buckles on 
their shoes. Your father leaves all these 
matters to me, and they have given me 
no little plague. When I thought I had 
arranged everything necessary, the coach- 
man, good old Brooks, solicited an audi- 
ence a day or two ago, and began, "Mis- 
tress, did you tell them to send the pads 
and the fronts and the hand-pieces?" 
"Heavens and earth! what are all these 
6 4 



Letters from England 

things?" said I. "Why, ma'am, we al- 
ways has pads under the saddle on Court 
Days, trimmed round with the colors of 
the livery, and we has fronts made of 
ribbin for the horses' heads, and we has 
white hand-pieces for the reins." This 
is a specimen of the little troubles of 
court life, but it has its compensations. 
To go back to Miss Murray and myself, 
who are driving through the park be- 
tween files of people, thousands and 
thousands all awaiting with patient, loyal 
faces the passage of the Queen and of 
the State carriages. The Queen's was 
drawn by eight cream-colored horses, and 
the servants flaming with scarlet and 
gold. This part of the park, near the 
palace, is only accessible to the carriages 
of the foreign ministers, ministers, and 
officers of the household. 

We arrive at the Parliament House, 
move through the long corridor and give 
65 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

up our tickets at the door of the cham- 
ber. It is a very long, narrow room. 
At the upper end is the throne, on the 
right is the seat of the ambassadors, on 
the left, of their ladies. Just in front 
of the throne is the wool-sack of the 
Lord Chancellor, looking like a draw- 
ing-room divan, covered with crimson 
velvet. Below this are rows of seats for 
the judges, who are all in their wigs and 
scarlet robes ; the bishops and the peers, 
all in robes of scarlet and ermine. Op- 
posite the throne at the lower end is the 
Bar of the Commons. On the right of 
the Queen's chair is a vacant one, on 
which is carved the three plumes, the 
insignia of the Prince of Wales, who will 
occupy it when he is seven or nine years 
old; on the left Prince Albert sits. 

The seat assigned me was in the front 
row, and quite open, like a sofa, so that 
I could talk with any gentleman whom 

66 



Letters from England 

I knew. Madam Van de Weyer was 
on one side of me and the Princess Calli- 
machi on the other, and Miss Murray 
just behind me. She insisted on intro- 
ducing to me all her noble relatives. 
Her cousin, the young Duke of Athol; 
the Duke of Buccleuch; her nephew the 
Marquis of Camden; her brother the 
Bishop of Rochester. There were many 
whom I had seen before, so that the 
hour passed very agreeably. Very soon 
came in the Duke of Cambridge, at 
which everybody rose, he being a royal 
duke. He was dressed in the scarlet 
kingly robe, trimmed with ermine, and 
with his white hair and whiskers (he is 
an old man) was most picturesque and 
scenic, reminding me of King Lear and 
other stage kings. He requested to be 
introduced to me, upon which I rose, of 
course. He soon said, "Be seated," and 
we went on with the conversation. I 
67 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

told him how much I liked Kew Gar- 
den, where he has a favorite place. 

When I first entered I was greeted 
very cordially by a personage in a black 
gown and wig, whom I did not know. 
He laughed and said: "I am Mr. Sen- 
ior, whom you saw only Saturday 
evening, but you do not know me in 
my wig." It is, indeed, an entire trans- 
formation, for it reaches down on the 
shoulders. He is a master in chancery. 
He stood by me nearly all the time 
and pointed out many of the judges, 
and some persons not in Miss Murray's 
line. 

But the trumpets sound! the Queen 
approaches ! The trumpet continues, and 
first enter at a side door close at my el- 
bow the college of heralds richly dressed, 
slowly, two and two ; then the great offi- 
cers of the household, then the Lord 
Chancellor bearing the purse, seal, and 

68 



Letters from England 

speech of the Queen, with the mace- 
bearers before him. Then Lord Lans- 
downe with the crown, the Earl of Zet- 
land, with the cap of maintenance, and 
the Duke of Wellington, with the sword 
of State. Then Prince Albert, leading 
the Queen, followed by the Duchess of 
Sutherland, Mistress of the Robes, and 
the Marchioness of Douro, daughter-in- 
law of the Duke of Wellington, who is 
one of the ladies in waiting. The Queen 
and Prince sit down, while everybody 
else remains standing. The Queen then 
says in a voice most clear and sweet: 
"My lords (rolling the r), be seated." 
Upon which the peers sit down, except 
those who enter with the Queen, who 
group themselves about the throne in the 
most picturesque manner. The Queen 
had a crown of diamonds, with splendid 
necklace and stomacher of the same. 

The Duchess of Sutherland close by her 
6 9 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

side with her ducal coronet of diamonds, 
and a little back, Lady Douro, also, with 
her coronet. On the right of the throne 
stood the Lord Chancellor, with scarlet 
robe and flowing wig, holding the speech, 
surrounded by the emblems of his office; 
a little farther, one step lower down, 
Lord Lansdowne, holding the crown on 
a crimson velvet cushion, and on the left 
the Duke of Wellington, brandishing the 
sword of State in the air, with the Earl 
of Zetland by his side. The Queen's 
train of royal purple, or rather deep 
crimson, was borne by many train-bear- 
ers. The whole scene seemed to me like 
a dream or a vision. After a few min- 
utes the Lord Chancellor came forward 
and presented the speech to the Queen. 
She read it sitting and most exquisitely. 
Her voice is flute-like and her whole em- 
phasis decided and intelligent. Very 
soon after the speech is finished she leaves 
70 




THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON 



From the portrait by Count Alfred D'Orsay; photograph copyright by- 
Walker & Cockerell, London 



Letters from England 

the House, and we all follow, as soon 
as we can get our carriages. 

Lord Lansdowne told me before she 
came in that the speech would be longer 
than usual, "but not so long as your 
President's speeches." It has been a day 
of high pleasure and more like a romance 
than a reality to me, and being in the 
very midst of it as I was, made it more 
striking than if I had looked on from a 
distant gallery. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, February 7, 1847. 

My dear Sons : ... On Friday 
we dined with two bachelors, Mr. Pea- 
body and Mr. Coates, who are Ameri- 
can bankers. Mr. Peabody is a friend 
of Mr. Corcoran and was formerly a 
partner of Mr. Riggs in Baltimore. Mr. 
Coates is of Boston. . . . They mus- 
tered up all the Americans that could 
71 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

be found, and we dined with twenty-six 
of our countrymen. 

Monday Morning. 

Last evening we were at home to see 
any Americans who might chance to 
come. ... I make tea in the draw- 
ing-room, on a little table with a white 
cloth, which would not be esteemed 
comme il faut with us. There is none 
of the parade of eating in the largest 
evening party here. I see nothing but 
tea, and sometimes find an informal re- 
freshment table in the room where we 
put on our cloaks. 

I got a note yesterday from the O'Con- 
nor Don, enclosing an order to admit 
me to the House of Commons on Mon- 
day. . . . You will be curious to 
know who is "The O'Connor Don." 
He is Dennis O'Connor, Esq., but is 
of the oldest family in Ireland, and 

the representative of the last kings of 

72 



Letters from England 

Connaught. He is called altogether 
the O'Connor Don, and begins his note 
to me with that title. You remem- 
ber Campbell's poem of "O'Connor's 
Child"? 

Sunday, 14th February. 

. . . Yesterday morning was my 
breakfast at Sir Robert Inglis's. The 
hour was halfpast nine, and as his house 
is two miles off I had to be up wondrous 
early for me. The weather has been very 
cold for this climate for the last few 
days, though we should think it moder- 
ate. They know nothing of extreme 
cold here. But, to return to our break- 
fast, where, notwithstanding the cold, 
the guests were punctually assembled: 
The Marquis of Northampton and his 
two sisters, the Bishop of London with 
his black apron, Sir Stratford Canning, 
Mr. Rutherford, Lord Advocate for 
Scotland, the Solicitor-General and one 
73 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

or two others. The conversation was 
very agreeable and I enjoyed my first 
specimen of an English breakfast ex- 
ceedingly. . . . Our invitations jostle 
each other, now Parliament has begun, 
for everybody invites on Wednesday, 
Saturday, or Sunday, when there are no 
debates. We had three dinner invita- 
tions for next Wednesday, from Mr. 
Harcourt, Marquis of Anglesey, and 
Mrs. Mansfield. We go to the former. 
The Queen held a levee on Friday, for 
gentlemen only. Your father went, of 
course. 

Sunday, February 21st. 
I left off on Sunday, on which day 
I got a note from Lady Morgan, saying 
that she wished us to come and meet some 
agreeables at her house. . . . There 
I met Sir William and Lady Moles- 
worth, Sir Benjamin Hall, etc., and had 
a long talk with "Eothen," who is a quiet, 
74 




SIR STRATFORD CANNING 

From the drawing by Richmond, made about 1S48, by permission of the 
Hon. Louisa Canning 



Letters from England 

unobtrusive person in manner, though 
his book is quite an effervescence. . . . 
On Wednesday we dined with Mr. Har- 
court, and met there Lord Brougham, 
who did the talking chiefly, Lord and 
Lady Mahon, Mr. Labouchere, etc. It 
was a most agreeable party, and we were 
very glad to meet Lord Brougham, 
whom we had not before seen. 

Lord Brougham is entertaining, and 
very much listened to. Indeed, the Eng- 
lish habit seems to be to suffer a few peo- 
ple to do up a great part of the talking, 
such as Macaulay, Brougham, and Syd- 
ney Smith and Mackintosh in their day. 
. . . On Saturday evening, at ten 
o'clock, we went to a little party at Lady 
Stratheden's. After staying there three- 
quarters of an hour we went to Lady 
Palmerston's, where were all the great 
London world, the Duchess of Suther- 
land among the number. She is most 

75 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

noble, and at the same time lovely. 
. . . We had an autograph note from 
Sir Robert Peel, inviting us to dine next 
Saturday, and were engaged. I hope 
they will ask us again, for I know few 
things better than to see him, as we 
should in dining there. I have the same 
interest in seeing the really distinguished 
men of England, that I should have in 
the pictures and statues of Rome, and in- 
deed, much greater. I wish I was better 
prepared for my life here by a more ex- 
tensive culture; mere fine ladyism will 
not do, or prosy bluism, but one needs 
for a thorough enjoyment of society, a 
healthy, practical, and extensive culture, 
and a use of the modern languages in 
our position would be convenient. I do 
not know how a gentleman can get on 
without it here, and I find it so desirable 
that I devote a good deal of time to 
speaking French with Louisa's governess. 

76 



Letters from England 

Your father uses French a great deal 
with his colleagues, who, many of them, 
speak English with great difficulty, and 
some not at all. . . . Lady Charlotte 
Lindsay came one day this week to en- 
gage us to dine with her on Wednesday, 
but yesterday she came to say that she 
wanted Lord Brougham to meet us, and 
he could not come till Friday. Fortu- 
nately we had no dinner engagement on 
that day, and we are to meet also the 
Miss Berrys; Horace Walpole's Miss 
Berrys, who with Lady Charlotte her- 
self, are the last remnants of the old 
school here. 

To L P. D. 

February 21st. 

My dear Uncle : . . . I wrote 
[J. D.] a week or two before I heard 
of his death, but was unable to tell him 
anything of Lord North 3 as I had not 

77 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

met Lady Charlotte Lindsay. I have 
seen her twice this week at Baron Parke's 
and at Lord Campbell's, and told her 
how much I had wished to do so before, 
and on what account. She says her father 
heard reading with great pleasure, and 
that one of her sisters could read the 
classics : Latin and, I think, Greek, which 
he enjoyed to the last. She says that 
he never complained of losing his sight, 
but that her mother has told her that it 
worried him in his old age that he re- 
mained Minister during our troubles at 
a period when he wished, himself, to re- 
sign. He sometimes talked of it in the 
solitude of sleepless nights, her mother 
has told her. 

On Tuesday morning we were invited 
by Dr. Buckland, the Dean of Westmin- 
ster, to go to his house, and from thence 
to the Abbey, to witness the funeral of 
the Duke of Northumberland. The 
78 



Letters from England 

Dean, who has control of everything in 
the Abbey, issued tickets to several hun- 
dred persons to go and witness the fu- 
neral, but only Lord Northampton's 
family, the Bunsens (the Prussian Min- 
ister), and ourselves, went to his house, 
and into the Dean's little gallery. 

After the ceremony there were a crowd 
of visitors at the Dean's, and I met many 
old acquaintances, and made many new 
ones, among whom were Lady Chantrey, 
a nice person. After the crowd cleared 
off, we sat down to a long table at lunch, 
always an important meal here, and 
afterward the Dean took me on his arm 
and showed me everything within the 
Abbey precincts. He took us first to the 
Percy Chapel to see the vault of the 
Percys. . . . From thence the Dean 
took us to the Jerusalem chamber where 
Henry IV died, then all over the West- 
minster school. We first went to the hall 

79 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

where the young men were eating their 
dinner. . . . We then went to the 
school-room, where every inch of the wall 
and benches is covered with names, some 
of them most illustrious, as Dryden's. 
There were two bunches of rods, which 
the Dean assured me were not mere sym- 
bols of power, but were daily used, as, 
indeed, the broken twigs scattered upon 
the floor plainly showed. Our ferules 
are thought rather barbarous, but a gen- 
tle touch from a slender twig not at all 
so. These young men looked to me as 
old as our collegians. We then went to 
their study-rooms, play-rooms, and sleep- 
ing-rooms. The whole forty sleep in 
one long and well-ventilated room, the 
walls of which were also covered with 
names. At the foot of each bed was a 
large chest covered with leather, as 
mouldering and time-worn as the Abbey 
itself. Here are educated the sons of 
80 



Letters from England 

some of the noblest families, and the 
Archbishop of York has had six sons 
here, and all of them were in succession 
the Captain of the school. . . . 

On Wednesday evening we went first 
to our friends, the Bunsens, where we 
were invited to meet the Duchess of 
Sutherland with a few other persons. 
Bunsen is very popular here. He is 
learned and accomplished, and was so 
much praised in the Biography of Dr. 
Arnold, the late historian of Rome, that 
he has great reputation in the world of 
letters. . . . Altogether we have 
great pleasure in the society of Chevalier 
and Madam Bunsen, and in those whom 
we meet at their house. On this occa- 
sion we only stayed half an hour, which 
I passed in talking with the Bishop of 
Norwich and his wife, Mrs. Stanley, and 
went to Lady Morgan's without waiting 
till the Duchess of Sutherland came. 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

There we found her little rooms full of 
agreeable people. . . . The next day, 
Thursday, there was a grand opera for 
the benefit of the Irish, and all the Diplo- 
matic Corps were obliged to take boxes. 
Lady Palmerston, who was one of the 
three patronesses, secured a very good 
box for us, directly opposite the Queen, 
and only three from the stage. 

We took with us Mrs. Milman and 
W. T. Davis, to whom it gave a grand 
opportunity of seeing the Queen and the 
assembled aristocracy, at least all who 
are now in London. "God save the 
Queen," sung with the whole audience 
standing, was a noble sight. The Queen 
also stood, and at the end gave three 
curtsies. On Friday Captain and Mrs. 
Wormeley, with Miss Wormeley, dined 
with us, with Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle, 
Miss Murray, the Maid of Honor, Mr. 

and Mrs. Pell of New York, with Will- 

82 



Letters from England 

iam T. and Mr. Brodhead. William 
was very glad to see Carlyle, who showed 
himself off to perfection, uttering his 
paradoxes in broad Scotch. 

Last evening we dined at Mr. Thomas 
Baring's, and a most agreeable dinner it 
was. The company consisted of twelve 
persons, Lord and Lady Ashburton, etc. 
I like Lady Ashburton extremely. She 
is full of intelligence, reads everything, 
talks most agreeably, and still loves 
America. She is by no means one of 
those who abjure their parent country. 
I have seen few persons in England 
whom I should esteem a more delight- 
ful friend or companion than Lady Ash- 
burton, and I do not know why, but I 
had received a different impression of 
her. Lord Ashburton, by whom I sat 
at dinner, struck me as still one of the 
most agreeable, as well as one of the 
wisest, men I have seen in England. 
83 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Lady Ashburton, who was sitting by Mr. 
Bancroft, leant forward and said to her 
husband, "We can bring bushels of corn 
this year to England." "Who do you 
mean by we?" said he. "Why, we 
Americans, to be sure." 

Monday Evening. 

Yesterday we dined at Count St. Au- 
lair's, the French Ambassador, who is a 
charming old man of the old French 
school, at a sort of amicable dinner given 
to Lord and Lady Palmerston. Lord 
John Russell was of the party, with the 
Russian Ambassador and lady, Mr. and 
Madam Van de Weyer, the Prussian 
and Turkish Ministers. The house of 
the French Embassy is fine, but these 
formal grand dinners are not so charm- 
ing as the small ones. The present state 
of feeling between Lord Palmerston and 
the French Government gave it a kind 
of interest, however, and it certainly 




LORD ASHBURTON 
After Sir T. Lawrenee, R. A. 



Letters from England 

went off in a much better spirit than 
Lady Normanby's famous party, which 
Guizot would not attend. It seems very 
odd to me to be in the midst of these Eu- 
ropean affairs, which I have all my life 
looked upon from so great a distance. 

To Mrs. W. W. Story 

London, March 23, 1847. 

My dear Mrs. Story: I should have 
thanked you by the last steamer for your 
note and the charming volume which 
accompanied it, but my thoughts and 
feelings were so much occupied by the 
sad tidings I heard from my own family 
that I wrote to no one out of it. The 
poems, which would at all times have 
given me great pleasure, gave me still 
more here than they would if I were with 
you on the other side of the Atlantic. 
I am not cosmopolitan enough to love 
any nature so well as our American nat- 
85 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

ure, and in addition to the charm of its 
poetry, every piece brought up to me the 
scenes amidst which it had been written. 
. . . How dear these associations are 
your husband will soon know when he 
too is separated from his native shores 
and from those he loves. ... I shall 
look forward with great pleasure to see- 
ing him here, and only wish you were to 
accompany him, for your own sake, for 
his, and for ours. His various culture 
will enable him to enjoy most fully all 
that Europe can yield him in every de- 
partment. My own regret ever since I 
have been here has been that the seed has 
not "fallen upon better ground," for 
though I thought myself not ignorant 
wholly, I certainly lose much that I 
might enjoy more keenly if I were bet- 
ter prepared for it. I envy the pleas- 
ure which Mr. Story will receive from 
music, painting, and sculpture in Eu- 

86 



Letters from England 

rope, even if he were destitute of the 
creative inspiration which he will take 
with him. For ourselves, we have 
everything to make us happy here, and 
I should be quite so, if I could forget 
that I had a country and children and 
very dear friends 3,000 miles away. 
. . . There are certain sympathies of 
country which one cannot overcome. 
On the other hand I certainly enjoy pleas- 
ures of the highest kind, and am every 
day floated like one in a dream into the 
midst of persons and scenes that make 
my life seem more like a drama than a 
reality. Nothing is more unreal than 
the actual presence of persons of whom 
one has heard much, and long wished to 
see. One day I find myself at dinner 
by the side of Sir Robert Peel, another 
by Lord John Russell, or at Lord Lans- 
downe's table, with Mrs. Norton, or at 
a charming breakfast with Mr. Rogers, 
87 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

surrounded by pictures and marbles, or 
with tall feathers and a long train, mak- 
ing curtsies to a queen. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, April 2, [1847.] 

Here it is the day before the de- 
spatches leave and I have not written a 
single line to you. . . . On Friday 
we dined at Lady Charlotte Lindsay's, 
where were Lord Brougham and Lady 
Mallet, Mr. Rogers and the Bishop of 
Norwich and his wife. In the evening 
Miss Agnes Berry, who never goes out 
now, came on purpose to appoint an 
evening to go and see her sister, who 
is the one that Horace Walpole wished 
to marry, and to whom so many of his 
later letters are addressed. She is eighty- 
four, her sister a few years younger, and 
Lady Charlotte not much their junior. 

These remnants of the belles-esprits of 

8S 




v 






MISS 



BERRY, AT THE AGE OF 86 



From a crayon drawing by J. R. Swinton (1850) ; from a picture owned by 
Elizabeth B. Bliss 



Letters from England 

the last age are charming to me. They 
have a vast and long experience of the 
best social circles, with native wit, and 
constant practice in the conversation of 
society. . . . On Wednesday, we 
dined at Sir Robert Peel's, with whom 
I was more charmed than with anybody 
I have seen yet. I sat between him and 
the Speaker of the House of Commons. 
I was told that he was stiff and stately 
in his manners, but did not think him 
so, and am inclined to imagine that free 
from the burden of the Premiership, he 
unbends more. He talked constantly 
with me, and in speaking of a certain 
picture said, "When you come to Dray- 
ton Manor I shall show it to you." I 
should like to go there, but to see him- 
self even more than his pictures. Lady 
Peel is still a very handsome woman. 

The next morning we breakfasted with 
Mr. Rogers. He lives, as you probably 
89 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

know, in [a] beautiful house, though 
small, whose rooms look upon the Green 
Park, and filled with pictures and mar- 
bles. We stayed an hour or more after 
the other guests, listening to his stores 
of literary anecdote and pleasant talk. In 
the evening we went to the Miss Berrys', 
where we found Lord Morpeth, who is 
much attached to them. Miss Berry put 
her hand on his head, which is getting a 
little gray, and said: "Ah, George, and 
I remember the day you were born, your 
grandmother brought you and put you 
in my arms." Now this grandmother 
of Lord Morpeth's was the celebrated 
Duchess of Devonshire, who election- 
eered for Fox, and he led her to tell 
me all about her. "Eothen" was also 
there, Lady Lewis and many of my 
friends. ..." Aunty wishes to know 
who is "Eothen." She has probably 
read his book, "Eothen, or Traces of 
9 o 




A. \V. KINGLAKE (" EOTHEN ") 

Fn mi a photograph 



Letters from England 

Travel," which was very popular two or 
three years since. He is a young lawyer, 
Mr. Kinglake, the most modest, unas- 
suming person in his manners, very shy 
and altogether very unlike the dashing, 
spirited young Englishman I figured to 
myself, whom nothing could daunt from 
the Arab even to the plague, which he 
defied. 

To I. P. D. 

Dear Uncle and Aunt : On Thurs- 
day [the 25th] we were invited to Sir 
John Pakington's, whose wife is the 
Bishop of Rochester's daughter, but were 
engaged to Mr. Senior, who had asked 
us to meet the Archbishop of Dublin, 
the celebrated Dr. Whately. He had 
come over from Ireland to make a speech 
in the House of Lords upon the Irish 
Poor Law. He is full of learning [and] 
simplicity, and with most genial hearty 
91 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

manners. Rogers was also there and 
said more fine things than I have heard 
him say before at dinner, as he is now so 
deaf that he does not hear general con- 
versation, and cannot tell where to send 
his shaft, which is always pointed. He 
retains all his sarcasm and epigrammatic 
point, but he shines now especially at 
breakfast, where he has his audience to 
himself. 

We went from Mr. Senior's to Mr. 
Milman's, but nearly all the guests there 
were departed or departing, though one 
or two returned with us to the drawing- 
room to stay the few minutes we did. 
Among the lingerers we found Sir Will- 
iam and Lady Duff Gordon, the two 
Warburtons, "Hochelaga" and "Cres- 
cent and Cross," and "Eothen." Mrs. 
Milman I really love, and we see much 
of them. 

On Saturday was the dreaded Draw- 
92 



Letters from England 

ing-Room, on which occasion I was to 
be presented to the Queen. . . . Mr. 
Bancroft and I left home at a quarter 
past one. On our arrival we passed 
through one or two corridors, lined by 
attendants with battle-axes and pictu- 
resque costumes, looking very much like 
the supernumeraries on the stage, and 
were ushered into the ante-room, a 
large and splendid room, where only the 
Ministers and Privy Councillors, with 
their families, are allowed to go with 
the Diplomatic Corps. Here we found 
Lady Palmerston, who showed me a list 
she had got Sir Edward Cust, the master 
of ceremonies, to make out of the order 
of precedence of the Diplomatic Corps, 
and when the turn would come for us 
who were to be newly presented. The 
room soon filled up and it was like a 
pleasant party, only more amusing, as 
the costumes of both gentlemen and la- 

93 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

dies were so splendid. I got a seat in 
the window with Madam Van de Weyer 
and saw the Queen's train drive up. At 
the end of this room are two doors: at 
the left hand everybody enters the next 
apartment where the Queen and her suite 
stand, and after going round the circle, 
come out at the right-hand door. After 
those who are privileged to go first into 
the ante-room leave it, the general circle 
pass in, and they also go in and out the 
same doors. But to go back. The left- 
hand door opens and Sir Edward Cust 
leads in the Countess Dietrichstein, who 
is the eldest Ambassadress, as the Count- 
ess St. Aulair is in Paris. As she enters 
she drops her train and the gentlemen 
ushers open it out like a peacock's tail. 
Then Madam Van de Weyer, who comes 
next, follows close upon the train of the 
former, then Baroness Brunnow, then 
Madam Bunsen, then Madam Lisboa, 

94 



Letters from England 

then Lady Palmerston, who, as the wife 
of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is 
to introduce the Princess Callimachi, 
Baroness de Beust, and myself. She 
stations herself by the side of the Queen 
and names us as we pass. The Queen 
spoke to none of us, but gave me a very 
gracious smile, and when Mr. Bancroft 
came by, she said: "I am very glad to 
have had the pleasure of seeing Mrs. 
Bancroft to-day." I was not [at] all 
frightened and gathered up my train 
with as much self-possession as if I were 
alone. I found it very entertaining 
afterward to watch the reception of 
the others. The Diplomatic Corps re- 
main through the whole, the ladies 
standing on the left of the Queen and 
the gentlemen in the centre, but all others 
pass out immediately. . . . On Sun- 
day evening Mr. Bancroft set off for 
Paris to pass the Easter recess of Parlia- 
95 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

ment. ... I got a very interesting 
letter yesterday from Mr. Bancroft. It 
seems that the Countess Circourt, whose 
husband has reviewed his book and Pres- 
cott's, is a most charming person, and 
makes her house one of the most brilliant 
and attractive in Paris. Since he left, 
a note came from Mr. Hallam, the con- 
tents of which pleased me as they will 
you. It announced that Mr. Bancroft 
was chosen an Honorary Member of the 
Society of Antiquaries, of which Lord 
Mahon is president, Hallam, vice-presi- 
dent. Hallam says the society is very 
old and that he is the first citizen of 
the United States upon whom it has been 
conferred, but that he will not long pos- 
sess it exclusively, as his "highly distin- 
guished countryman, Mr. Prescott, has 
also been proposed." 



96 



Letters from England 
To W. D. B. and A. B. 

Tuesday. 

My dear Sons: ... On Mon- 
day morning came the dear Miss Berrys, 
to beg me to come that evening to join 
their circle. They have always the best 
people in London about them, young as 
well as old. 

The old and the middle-aged are more 
attended to here than with us, where the 
young are all in all. As Hayward said 
to me the other evening, "it takes time 
to make people, like cathedrals," and 
Mr. Rogers and Miss Berry could not 
have been what they are now, forty years 
ago. A long life of experience in the 
midst constantly of the highest and most 
cultivated circles, and with several gen- 
erations of distinguished men gives what 
can be acquired in no other way. Mr. 
Rogers said to me one day: "I have 

97 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

learnt more from men than from books, 
and when I used to be in the society of 
Fox and other great men of that period, 
and they would sometimes say 'I have 
always thought so and so,' then I have 
opened my ears and listened, for I said to 
myself, now I shall get at the treasured 
results of the experience of these great 
men." This little saying of Mr. Rogers 
expresses precisely my own feelings in 
the society of the venerable and distin- 
guished here. With us society is left 
more to the crudities of the young than 
in England. The young may be inter- 
esting and promise much, but they are 
still crude. The elements, however fine, 
are not yet completely assimilated and 
brought to that more perfect tone which 
comes later in life. 

Monday, April 1 2th. 

. . . On Saturday I went with Sir 
William and Lady Molesworth to their 
98 




SAMUEL ROGERS 

From the drawing by G. Richmond (1848^: photograph copyright by 
Walker & Cockerell, London 



Letters from England 

box in the new Covent Garden opera, 
which has been opened for the first time 
this week. There I saw Grisi and Al- 
boni and Tamburini in the "Semira- 
mide." It was a new world of delight 
to me. Grisi, so statuesque and so grace- 
ful, delights the eye, the ear, and the 
soul. She is sculpture, poetry, and music 
at the same time. . . . Mr. Bancroft 
has been received with great cordiality 
in Paris. He has been three times in- 
vited to the Palace, and Guizot and 
Mignet give him access to all that he 
wants in the archives, and he passes his 
evenings with all the eminent men and 
beautiful women of Paris. Guizot, 
Thiers, Lamartine, Cousin, Salvandi, 
Thierry, he sees, and enjoys all. They 
take him to the salons, too, of the Fau- 
bourg St. Germain, among the old 
French aristocracy, and to innumerable 

receptions. 
ELofC. 

99 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Wednesday. 

To-morrow I go to the Drawing- 
Room alone, and to complete the cli- 
max, the Queen has sent us an invita- 
tion to dine at the Palace to-morrow, 
and I must go alone for the first time. 
If I live through it, I will tell you all 
about it; but is it not awkward in the 
extreme ? 

Friday Morning. 

At eight o'clock in the evening I drove 
to the Palace. My dress was my cur- 
rant-colored or grosseille velvet with a 
wreath of white Arum lilies woven into 
a kind of turban, with green leaves and 
bouquet to match, on the bertha of Brus- 
sels lace. I was received by a servant, 
who escorted me through a long nar- 
row corridor the length of Winthrop 
Place and consigned me to another 
who escorted me in his turn, through 
another wider corridor to the foot 



Letters from England 

of a flight of stairs which I ascended 
and found another servant, who took 
my cloak and showed me into the 
grand corridor or picture gallery; a 
noble apartment of interminable length; 
and surrounded by pictures of the best 
masters. General Bowles, the Mas- 
ter of the Household, came forward 
to meet me, and Lord Byron, who is one 
of the Lords in Waiting. I found 
Madam Lisboa already arrived, and soon 
came in Lord and Lady Palmerston, the 
Duke of Norfolk, the Marquis and Mar- 
chioness of Exeter, Lord and Lady Dal- 
housie, Lord Charles Wellesley, son of 
the Duke of Wellington, Lady Byron, 
and Mr. Hallam. We sat and talked 
as at any other place, when at last the 
Queen was announced. The gentlemen 
ranged themselves on one side, and we 
on the other, and the Queen and Prince 
passed through, she bowing, and we 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

profoundly curtseying. As soon as she 
passed the Marquis of Exeter came over 
and took Madam Lisboa, and Lord Dal- 
housie came and took me. The Queen 
and Prince sat in the middle of a long 
table, and I was just opposite the Prince, 
between Lord Exeter and Lord Dalhou- 
sie, who is the son of the former Gov- 
ernor of Nova Scotia, was in the last 
ministry, and a most agreeable person. 
I talked to my neighbors as at any other 
dinner, but the Queen spoke to no one 
but Prince Albert, with a word or two 
to the Duke of Norfolk, who was on 
her right, and is the first peer of the 
realm. 

The dinner was rather quickly de- 
spatched, and when the Queen rose we 
followed her back into the corridor. She 
walked to the fire and stood some min- 
utes, and then advanced to me and en- 
quired about Mr. Bancroft, his visit to 



Letters from England 

Paris, if he had been there before, etc. 
I expressed, of course, the regret he 
would feel at losing the honor of dining 
with Her Majesty, etc. She then had 
a talk with Lady Palmerston, who stood 
by my side, then with all the other la- 
dies in succession, until at last Prince 
Albert came out, soon followed by the 
other gentlemen. The Prince then spoke 
to all the ladies, as she had done, while 
she went in succession to all the gentle- 
men guests. This took some time and 
we were obliged to stand all the while. 
At last the Queen, accompanied by her 
Lady in Waiting, Lady Mount Edg- 
cumbe, went to a sofa at the other end 
of the corridor in front of which was a 
round table surrounded by arm-chairs. 
When the Queen was seated Lady 
Mount Edgcumbe came to us and re- 
quested us to take our seats round the 
table. This was a little prim, for I did 
103 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

not know exactly how much I might 
talk to others in the immediate presence 
of the Queen, and everybody seemed a 
little constrained. She spoke to us all, 
and very soon such of the gentlemen as 
were allowed by their rank, joined us 
at the round table. Lord Dalhousie 
came again to my side and I had as 
pleasant a conversation with him, rather 
sotto voce, however, as I could have had 
at a private house. At half-past ten the 
Queen rose and shook hands with each 
lady; we curtsied profoundly, and she 
and the Prince departed. We then bade 
each other good-night, and found our 
carriages as soon as we chose. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, May 16, 1847. 

My dear Sons: My letters by this 

steamer will have very little interest for 
104 



Letters from England 

you, as, from being in complete retire- 
ment, I have no new things to relate 
to you. . . . We have taken advan- 
tage of our leisure to drive a little into 
the country, and on Tuesday I had a 
pleasure of the highest order in driving 
down to Esher and passing a quiet day 
with Lady Byron, the widow of the poet. 
She is an intimate friend of Miss Mur- 
ray, who has long wished us to see her 
and desired her to name the day for our 
visit. 

Esher is a little village about sixteen 
miles from London, and Lady Byron has 
selected it as her residence, though her 
estates are in Leicestershire, because it 
is near Lord and Lady Lovelace, her only 
child, the "Ada" of poetry. We went 
in our own carriage, taking Miss Mur- 
ray with us, and as the country is now 
radiant with blossoms and glowing green, 
the drive itself was very agreeable. We 
105 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

arrived at two o'clock, and found only 
Lady Byron, with the second boy of 
Lady Lovelace and his tutor. Lady 
Byron is now about fifty-five, and with 
the remains of an attractive, if not brill- 
iant beauty. She has extremely delicate 
features, and very pale and finely deli- 
cate skin. A tone of voice and manner 
of the most trembling refinement, with 
a culture and strong intellect, almost mas- 
culine, but which betrays itself under such 
sweet and gentle and unobtrusive forms 
that one is only led to perceive it by 
slow degrees. She is the most modest 
and unostentatious person one can well 
conceive. She lives simply, and the 
chief of her large income (you know 
she was the rich Miss Milbank) she 
devotes to others. After lunch she 
wished me to see a little of the coun- 
try round Esher and ordered her ponies 
and small carriage for herself and me, 

106 




LADY BYRON 
From the portrait in the possession of Sir J. Tollemache Sinclair. Rart. 



Letters from England 

while Mr. Bancroft and Miss Murray 
walked. We went first to the royal seat, 
Claremont, where the Princess Charlotte 
lived so happily with Leopold, and 
where she died. Its park adjoins Lady 
Byron's, and the Queen allows her a 
private key that she may enjoy its ex- 
quisite grounds. Here we left the pe- 
destrians, while Lady Byron took me a 
more extensive drive, as she wished to 
show me some of the heaths in the neigh- 
borhood, which are covered with furze, 
now one mass of yellow bloom. 

Every object is seen in full relief 
against the sky, and a figure on horse- 
back is peculiarly striking. I am always 
reminded of the beginning of one of 
James's novels, which is usually, you 
know, after this manner: "It was toward 
the close of a dull autumn day that two 
horsemen were seen," etc., etc. Lady 
Byron took me to the estate of a neigh- 
107 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

boring gentleman, to show me a fine old 
tower covered with ivy, where Wolsey 
took refuge from his persecutors, with 
his faithful follower, Cromwell. 

Upon our return we found the last of 
the old harpers, blind, and with a genu- 
ine old Irish harp, and after hearing his 
national melodies for half an hour, tak- 
ing a cup of coffee, and enjoying a little 
more of Lady Byron's conversation, we 
departed, having had a day heaped up 
with the richest and best enjoyments. I 
could not help thinking, as I was walk- 
ing up and down the beautiful paths of 
Claremont Park, with the fresh spring 
air blowing about me, the primroses, 
daisies, and wild bluebells under my feet, 
and Lady Byron at my side, that it was 
more like a page out of a poem than a 
reality. 

On Sunday night any Americans who 
are here come to see us. . . . Mr. 

108 



Letters from England 

Harding brought with him a gentleman, 
whom he introduced as Mr. Alison. 
Mr. Bancroft asked him if he were re- 
lated to Archdeacon Alison, who wrote 
the "Essay on Taste." "I am his son," 
said he. "Ah, then, you are the brother 
of the historian?" said Mr. Bancroft. 
"I am the historian," was the reply. 
. An evening visitor is a thing 
unheard of, and therefore my life is 
very lonely, now I do not go into so- 
ciety. I see no one except Sunday even- 
ings, and, occasionally, a friend before 
dinner. 

To W. D. B. and A. B. 

London, May 24, [1847.] 

My dear Sons : ... On Friday 
we both went to see the Palace of Hamp- 
ton Court with my dear, good, Miss 
Murray, Mr. Winthrop and son, and 
Louise. . . . On our arrival, we 
109 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

found, to our great vexation, that Fri- 
day was the only day in the week in 
which visitors were not admitted, and 
that we must content ourselves with see- 
ing the grounds and go back without a 
glimpse of its noble galleries of pictures. 
Fortunately for us, Miss Murray had 
several friends among the persons to 
whom the Queen has assigned apartments 
in the vast edifice, and they willingly 
yielded their approbation of our admis- 
sion if she could possibly win over Mrs. 
Grundy, the housekeeper. This name 
sounded rather inauspicious, but Mr. 
Winthrop suggested that there might 
be a "Felix" to qualify it, and so in this 
case it turned out.. Mrs. Grundy assert- 
ed that such a thing had never been done, 
that it was a very dangerous precedent, 
etc., but in the end the weight of a Maid 
of Honor and a Foreign Minister pre- 
vailed, and we saw everything to much 



Letters from England 

greater advantage than if we had 150 
persons following on, as Mr. Winthrop 
says he had the other day at Windsor 
Castle. . . . On our way [home] 
we met Lady Byron with her pretty 
little carriage and ponies. She alighted 
and we did the same, and had quite a 
pleasant little interview in the dusty 
road. 

Sunday, May 30th. 

Your father left town on Monday. 
. . . He did not return until the 27th, 
the morning of the Queen's Birthday 
Drawing-Room. On that occasion I 
went dressed in white mourning. . . . 
It was a petticoat of white crape flounced 
to the waist with the edges notched. A 
train of white glace trimmed with a ruche 
of white crape. A wreath and bouquet 
of white lilacs, without any green, as 
green is not used in mourning. The 
array of diamonds on this occasion was 
in 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

magnificent in the highest degree, and 
everybody was in their most splendid 
array. The next evening there was a 
concert at the Palace, at which Jenny 
Lind, Grisi, Alboni, Mario, and Tam- 
burini sang. I went dressed in [a] deep 
black dress and enjoyed the music highly. 
Seats were placed in rows in the concert- 
room and one sat quietly as if in church. 
At the end of the first part, the royal 
family with their royal guests, the Grand 
Duke Constantine of Russia, and the 
Grand Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Wei- 
mar went to the grand dining-room and 
supped by themselves, with their suites, 
while another elegant refreshment table 
was spread in another apartment for the 
other guests. . . . Jenny Lind a little 
disappointed me, I must confess, but they 
tell me that her songs were not adapted 
on that evening to the display of her 
voice. 

112 



Letters from England 

On Sunday evening your father dined 
with Baron Brunnow, the Russian Min- 
ister, to meet the Grand Duke Constan- 
tine. It so happened that the Grand 
Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Weimar ap- 
pointed an audience to Baron and Bar- 
oness Brunnow at seven, and they had 
not returned at half-past seven, when the 
Grand Duke and their other guests ar- 
rived. The Baroness immediately ad- 
vanced to the Grand Duke and sunk on 
her knees before him, asking pardon in 
Russian. He begged her to rise, but she 
remained in an attitude of deep humili- 
ation, until the Grand Duke sunk also 
on his knees and gently raised her, and 
then kissed her on the cheek, a privilege, 
you know, of royalty. 

. . . On Monday evening we both 

went to a concert at Mr. Hudson's, the 

great railway "king," who has just made 

an immense fortune from railway stocks, 

113 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

and is now desirous to get into society. 
These things are managed in a curious 
way here. A noaveau riche gets several 
ladies of fashion to patronize their en- 
tertainment and invite all the guests. 
Our invitation was from Lady Parke, 
who wrote me two notes about it, say- 
ing that she would be happy to meet me 
at Mrs. Hudson's splendid mansion, 
where would be the best music and so- 
ciety of London; and, true enough, there 
was the Duke of Wellington and all the 
world. Lady Parke stood at the entrance 
of the splendid suite of rooms to receive 
the guests and introduce them to their 
host and hostess. On Tuesday morning 
I got a note from Mr. Eliot Warburton 
(brother of "Hochelaga") to come to 
his room at two o'clock and look at some 
drawings. To our surprise we found 
quite a party seated at lunch, and a col- 
lection of many agreeable persons and 
114 




GEORGE HUDSON, THE "RAILWAY KING " 

From the engraving after F. CJrant 



Letters from England 

some lions and lionesses. There was 
Lord Ross, the great astronomer; Bar- 
oness Rothschild, a lovely Jewess; Miss 
Strickland, the authoress of the "Queens 
of England" ; "Eothen," and many more. 
Mr. Polk, Charge at Naples, and brother 
of the President, dined with us, and Miss 
Murray, and in the evening came Mr. 
and Mrs. McLean, he a son of Judge 
McLean, of Ohio. 

June 17th. 

On Friday evening we went to the 
Queen's Ball, and for the first time saw 
Her Majesty dance, which she does very 
well, and so does the Duchess of Suther- 
land, grandmother though she be. 

On Monday evening we went to a con- 
cert given to the Queen by the Duke of 
Wellington at Apsley House. This was 
an occasion not to be forgotten, but I 
cannot describe it. On Tuesday I went 
for the first time to hear a debate upon 

"5 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

the Portugal interference in the House 
of Lords. It brought out all the lead- 
ers, and I was so fortunate as to hear a 
most powerful speech from Lord Stan- 
ley, one from Lord Lansdowne in de- 
fence of the Ministry and one from the 
Duke of Wellington, who, on this occa- 
sion, sided with the Ministers. On 
Wednesday was the great fete given by 
the Duchess of Sutherland to the Queen. 
It was like a chapter of a fairy tale. 
Persons from all the courts of Europe 
who were there told us that nowhere in 
Europe was there anything as fine as the 
hall and grand staircase where the Duch- 
ess received her guests. It exceeded my 
utmost conceptions of magnificence and 
beauty. The vast size of the apartment, 
the vaulted ceilings, the arabesque orna- 
ments, the fine pictures, the profusion of 
flowers, the music, the flourish of trump- 
ets, as the Queen passed backward and 
iz6 



Letters from England 

forward, the superb dresses and dia- 
monds of the women, the parti-colored 
full dress of the gentlemen all contrib- 
uted to make up a scene not to be for- 
gotten. The Queen's Ball was not to 
be compared to it, so much more effect- 
ive is Stafford House than Buckingham 
Palace. . . . We were fortunate to 
be present there, for Stafford House is 
not opened in this way but once in a 
year or two, and the Duke's health is 
now so very uncertain, that it may be 
many years before it happens again. He 
was not present the other evening. 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 
My dear Uncle and Aunt: On 

London, June 20, 1847. 
the 19th, Saturday, we breakfasted with 
Lady Byron and my friend, Miss Mur- 
ray, at Mr. Rogers'. He and Lady 
Byron had not met for many, many 
117 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

years, and their renewal of old friend- 
ship was very interesting to witness. Mr. 
Rogers told me that he first introduced 
her to Lord Byron. After breakfast he 
had been repeating some lines of poetry 
which he thought fine, when he suddenly 
exclaimed: "But there is a bit of Amer- 
ican prose, which, I think, has more 
poetry in it than almost any modern 
verse." He then repeated, I should 
think, more than a page from Dana's 
"Two Years Before the Mast," describ- 
ing the falling overboard of one of the 
crew, and the effect it produced, not only 
at the moment, but for some time after- 
ward. I wondered at his memory, which 
enabled him to recite so beautifully a 
long prose passage, so much more diffi- 
cult than verse. Several of those present 
with whom the book was a favorite, were 
so glad to hear from me that it was as 
true as interesting, for they had regard- 



Letters from England 

ed it as partly a work of imagination. 
Lady Byron had told Mr. Rogers when 
she came in that Lady Lovelace, her 
daughter (Ada) wished also to pay him 
a visit, and would come after breakfast 
to join us for half an hour. She also 
had not seen Rogers, I believe, ever. 
Lady Lovelace joined us soon after 
breakfast, and as we were speaking of 
the enchantment of Stafford House on 
Wednesday evening, Mr. Rogers pro- 
posed to go over it and see its fine pict- 
ures by daylight. He immediately went 
himself by a short back passage through 
the park to ask permission and returned 
with all the eagerness and gallantry of 
a young man to say that he had obtained 
it. We had thus an opportunity of see- 
ing, in the most leisurely way and in the 
most delightful society, the fine pictures 
and noble apartments of Stafford House 
again. 

119 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

. . . On Tuesday Mr. Hallam 
took us to the British Museum, and 
being a director, he could enter on a 
private day, when we were not annoyed 
by a crowd, and, moreover, we had the 
advantage of the best interpreters and 
guides. We did not even enter the li- 
brary, which requires a day by itself, 
but confined ourselves to the Antiquity 
rooms. ... As I entered the room 
devoted to the Elgin marbles, the works 
of the "divine Phidias," I stepped with 
awe, as if entering a temple, and the 
Secretary, who was by my side, observ- 
ing it, told me that the Grand Duke 
Constantine, when he came a few days 
before, made, as he entered, a most pro- 
found and reverential bow. This was 
one of my most delightful mornings, and 
I left the Antiquities with a stronger de- 
sire to see them again than before I had 
seen them at all. 



Letters from England 

Sunday, June 27th. 

. . . I went on Wednesday to dine 
at Lord Monteagle's to meet Father 
Mathew, and the Archbishop of Dublin 
(Dr. Whately) also dined there. Father 
Mathew spoke with great interest of 
America and of American liberality, and 
is very anxious to go to our country. He 
saw Mr. Forbes at Cork and spoke of 
him with great regard. . . . On 
[Saturday] Mr. Bancroft went to the 
Palace to see the King of the Belgians, 
with the rest of the Diplomatic Corps. 
After his return we went to Westminster 
Hall to see the prize pictures, as Lord 
Lansdowne had sent us tickets for the 
private view. The Commission of Fine 
Arts have offered prizes for the best his- 
torical pictures that may serve to adorn 
the new Houses of Parliament, and the 
pictures of this collection were all paint- 
ed with that view. One of those which 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

have received a prize is John Robinson 
bestowing his farewell blessing upon the 
Pilgrims at Leyden, which is very pleas- 
ing. It was to me like a friend in a 
strange country, and I lingered over it 
the longest. 

July 2d. 

Wednesday [evening] we went to 
Lady Duff Gordon's, who is the daugh- 
ter of Mrs. Austin, where was a most 
agreeable party, and among others, An- 
dersen, the Danish poet-author of the 
"Improvisatore." He has a most strik- 
ing poetical physiognomy, but as he 
talked only German or bad French, I 
left him to Mr. Bancroft in the con- 
versation way. 

The next morning before nine o'clock 
we were told that Mr. Rogers, the poet, 
was downstairs. I could not imagine 
what had brought him out so early, but 
found that Moore, the poet, had come 



Letters from England 

to town and would stay but a day, and 
we must go that very morning and break- 
fast with him at ten o'clock. We went 
and found a delightful circle. I sat be- 
tween Moore and Rogers, who was in 
his very best humor. Moore is but a 
wreck, but a most interesting one. 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 

Nuneham Park, July 27, 1847. 

My dear Uncle and Aunt : . . . 
I must go back to the day when my last 
letters were despatched, as my life since 
has been full of interest. On Monday 
evening, the 19th, we went to the French 
play, to see Rachel in "Phedre." She 
far surpassed my imagination in the 
expression of all the powerful passions. 
. . . On Tuesday Mr. Bancroft went 
down to hear Lord John make a speech 
to his constituents in the city, while I 
went to see Miss Burdett-Coutts lay the 
123 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

corner-stone of the church which "the 
Bishop of London has permitted her to 
build," to use her own expression in her 
note to me. In the evening we dined 
there with many of the clergy, and Lord 
Brougham, Lord Dundonald, etc. I 
went down with the Dean of Westmin- 
ster, who was very agreeable and in- 
structive. He and Dr. Whately have 
the simplicity of children, with an im- 
mense deal of knowledge, which they 
impart in the most pleasant way. Sat- 
urday, the 24th, we were to leave town 
for our first country excursion. We 
were invited by Dr. Hawtrey, the 
Head Master of Eton, to be present at 
the ceremonies accompanying the annual 
election of such boys on the Founda- 
tion as are selected to go up to King's 
College, Cambridge, where they are also 
placed on a Foundation. From reading 
Dr. Arnold's life you will have learned 
124 



Letters from England 

that the head master of one of these 
very great schools is no unimportant 
personage. Dr. Hawtrey has an in- 
come of six or seven thousand pounds. 
He is unmarried, but has two single sis- 
ters who live with him, and his establish- 
ment in one of the old college houses 
is full of elegance and comfort. We 
took an open travelling carriage with 
imperials, and drove down to Eton with 
our own horses, arriving about one 
o'clock. At two, precisely, the Provost 
of King's College, Cambridge, was to 
arrive, and to be received under the old 
gateway of the cloister by the Captain 
of the school with a Latin speech. Af- 
ter dinner there is a regatta among the 
boys, which is one of the characteristic 
and pleasing old customs. All the fash- 
ionables of London who have sons at 
Eton come down to witness their happi- 
ness, and the river bank is full of gayety. 
125 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

The evening finished with the most 
beautiful fireworks I ever saw, which 
lighted up the Castle behind and were 
reflected in the Thames below, while the 
glancing oars of the young boatmen, and 
the music of their band with a merry 
chime of bells from St. George's Chapel, 
above, all combined to give gayety and 
interest to the scene. The next morn- 
ing (Sunday), after an agreeable break- 
fast in the long, low-walled breakfast- 
room, which opens upon the flower-gar- 
den, we went to Windsor to worship in 
St. George's Chapel. The Queen's stall 
is rather larger than the others, and one 
is left vacant for the Prince of Wales. 

London, July 29th. 

And now with a new sheet I must be- 
gin my account of Nuneham. . . . 
The Archbishop of York is the second 
son of Lord Vernon, but his uncle, Earl 
126 



Letters from England 

Harcourt, dying without children, left 
him all his estate, upon which he took 
the name of Harcourt. We arrived 
about four o'clock. . . . The din- 
ner was at half-past seven, and when I 
went down I found the Duchess of Suth- 
erland, Lady Caroline Leveson-Gower, 
Lord Kildare, and several of the sons 
and daughters of the Archbishop. The 
dinner and evening passed off very agree- 
ably. The Duchess is a most high-bred 
person, and thoroughly courteous. As 
we were going in or out of a room in- 
stead of preceding me, which was her 
right, she always made me take her arm, 
which was a delicate way of getting over 
her precedence. ... At half-past 
nine the [next morning] we met in the 
drawing-room, when the Archbishop led 
the way down to prayers. This was a 
beautiful scene, for he is now ninety, and 

to hear him read the prayers with a firm, 
127 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

clear voice, while his family and depend- 
ents knelt about him was a pleasure never 
to be forgotten. ... At five I was 
to drive round the park with the Arch- 
bishop himself in his open carriage. This 
drive was most charming. He explained 
everything, told me when such trees 
would be felled, and when certain tracts 
of underwood would be fit for cutting, 
how old the different-sized deer were — 
in short, the whole economy of an Eng- 
lish park. Every pretty point of view, 
too, he made me see, and was as active 
and wide-awake as if he were thirty, 
rather than ninety. . . . The next 
morning, after prayers and breakfast, I 
took my leave. 

To A. H. 

Bishop's Palace, Norwich, August ist. 

My Dear Ann: How I wish I 
could transport you to the spot where 

128 



Letters from England 

I am writing, but if I could summon it 
before your actual vision you would take 
it for a dream or a romance, so different 
is everything within the walls which en- 
close the precincts of an English Cathe- 
dral from anything we can conceive on 
our side of the water. . . . Some of 
the learned people and noblemen have 
formed an Archaeological Society for 
the study and preservation [of] the in- 
teresting architectural antiquities of the 
kingdom, and [it] is upon the occasion 
of the annual meeting of this society for 
a week at Norwich that the Bishop has 
invited us to stay a few days at the pal- 
ace and join them in their agreeable 
antiquarian excursions. We arrived on 
Friday at five o'clock after a long dull 
journey of five hours on the railway. 
. . . Staying in the house are our 
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Milman, Lord 
Northampton and his son, Lord Alwyne 
129 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Compton, and the Bishop's family, con- 
sisting of Mrs. Stanley, and of two Miss 
Stanleys, agreeable and highly cultivated 
girls, and Mr. Arthur Stanley, the writer 
of Dr. Arnold's Biography. 

After dinner company soon arrived. 
Among them were Mrs. Opie, who re- 
sides here. She is a pleasing, lively old 
lady, in full Quaker dress. The most 
curious feature of the evening was a 
visit which the company paid to the cel- 
lar and kitchen, which were lighted up 
for the occasion. They were built by 
the old Norman bishops of the twelfth 
century, and had vaulted stone roofs as 
beautifully carved and ribbed as a church. 

The next day, Saturday, the antiqua- 
rians made a long excursion to hunt 
up some ruins, while the Milmans, Mr. 
Stanley, and ourselves, went to visit the 
place of Lady Suffield, about twelve miles 
distant, and which is the most perfect 
130 









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LORD PALMERSTON 

From the portrait by Partridge; photograph copyright by Walker & Cockerell, 
London 



Letters from England 

specimen of the Elizabethan style. Lady 
Suffield herself is as Elizabethan as her 
establishment; she is of one [of] the 
oldest high Tory families and so opposed 
to innovations of all sorts that though 
her letters, which used to arrive at 
two, before the opening of the rail- 
way two years ago, now arrive at 
seven in the morning, they are never al- 
lowed to be brought till the old hour. 
. . . This morning Mr. Bancroft and 
the rest are gone on an excursion to Yar- 
mouth to see some ruins, while I remain 
here to witness the chairing of two new 
members of Parliament, who have just 
been elected, of whom Lord Douro, son 
of the Duke of Wellington, is one. 

To I. P. D. 

Audley End, October 14, 1847. 

Dear Uncle : We are staying for a 
few days at Lord Braybrooke's place, 
131 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

one of the most magnificent in England; 
but before I say a word about it I must 
tell you of A.'s safe arrival and how 
happy I have been made by having him 
with me again. . . . On Saturday 
the 9th we had the honor of dining with 
the Lord Mayor to meet the Duke of 
Cambridge, a fete so unlike anything 
else and accompanied by so many old and 
peculiar customs that I must describe it 
to you at full length. The Mansion 
House is in the heart of the City, and 
is very magnificent and spacious, the 
Egyptian Hall, as the dining-room is 
called, being one of the noblest apart- 
ments I have seen. The guests were 
about 250 in number and were received 
by the Lady Mayoress sitting. When 
dinner was announced, the Lord Mayor 
went out first, preceded by the sword- 
bearer and mace-bearer and all the in- 
signia of office. Then came the Duke 
132 



Letters from England 

of Cambridge and the Lady Mayoress, 
then Mr. Bancroft and I together, which 
is the custom at these great civic feasts. 
We marched through the long gallery 
by the music of the band to the Egyptian 
Hall, where two raised seats like thrones 
were provided for the Lord Mayor and 
Mayoress at the head of the hall. On 
the right hand of the Lord Mayor sat 
the Duke of Cambridge in a common 
chair, for royalty yields entirely to the 
Mayor, on his own ground. On the 
right of the Duke of Cambridge sat the 
Mayoress-elect (for the present digni- 
taries go out of office on the ist of 
November). On the left hand of the 
present Lady Mayoress sat the Lord 
M.ayor-elect, then I came with my hus- 
band on my left hand in very conjugal 
style. 

There were three tables the whole 
length of the hall, and that at which we 
133 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

were placed went across at the head. 
When we are placed, the herald stands 
behind the Lord Mayor and cries: "My 
Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, pray si- 
lence, for grace." Then the chaplain in 
his gown, goes behind the Lord Mayor 
and says grace. After the second course 
two large gold cups, nearly two feet high, 
are placed before the Mayor and Mayor- 
ess. The herald then cries with a loud 
voice: "His Royal Highness the Duke 
of Cambridge, the American Minister, 
the Lord Chief Baron," etc., etc. (enu- 
merating about a dozen of the most dis- 
tinguished guests), "and ladies and gen- 
tlemen all, the Lord Mayor and Lady 
Mayoress do bid you most heartily wel- 
come and invite you to drink in a loving 
cup." Whereupon the Mayor and May- 
oress rise and each turn to their next 
neighbor, who take off the cover while 
they drink. After my right-hand neigh- 
134 



Letters from England 

bor, the Lord Mayor-elect, had put on 
the cover, he turns to me and says, 
"Please take off the cover," which I do 
and hold it while he drinks; then I re- 
place the cover and turn round to Mr. 
Bancroft, who rises and performs the 
same office for me while I drink; then 
he turns to his next neighbor, who takes 
off the cover for him. I have not felt 
so solemn since I stood up to be married 
as when Mr. Bancroft and I were stand- 
ing up alone together, the rest of the 
company looking on, I with this great 
heavy gold cup in my hand, so heavy 
that I could scarcely lift it to my mouth 
with both hands, and he with the cover 
before me, with rather a mischievous ex- 
pression in his face. Then came two 
immense gold platters filled with rose 
water, which were also passed round. 
These gold vessels were only used by the 
persons at the head table; the other 
135 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

guests were served with silver cups. 
When the dessert and the wine are placed 
on the table, the herald says, "My Lords, 
Ladies, and Gentlemen, please to charge 
your glasses." After we duly charge 
our glasses the herald cries: "Lords, 
Ladies, and Gentlemen, pray silence for 
the Lord Mayor." He then rises and 
proposes the first toast, which is, of 
course, always "The Queen." After a 
time came the "American Minister," 
who was obliged to rise up at my elbow 
and respond. We got home just after 
twelve. 

And now let me try to give you some 
faint idea of Audley End, which is by 
far the most magnificent house I have 
seen yet. It was built by the Earl of 
Suffolk, son of that Duke of Norfolk 
who was beheaded in Elizabeth's reign 
for high treason, upon the site of an 

abbey, the lands of which had been 
136 




LADY PALMERSTON 

From a painting, by permission of Sir Francis ( '.ore 



Letters from England 

granted by the crown to that powerful 
family. One of the Earls of Suffolk 
dying without sons, the Earldom passed 
into another branch and the Barony and 
estate of Howard de Walden came into 
the female line. In course of time, a 
Lord Howard de Walden dying without 
a son, his title also passed into another 
family, but his estate went to his nephew, 
Lord Braybrooke, the father of the pres- 
ent Lord. Lady Braybrooke is the 
daughter of the Marquis of Cornwallis, 
and granddaughter of our American 
Lord Cornwallis. 

The house is of the Elizabethan period 
and is one of the best preserved speci- 
mens of that style, but of its vast extent 
and magnificence I can give you no idea. 
We arrived about five o'clock, and were 
ushered through an immense hall of 
carved oak hung with banners up a fine 
staircase to the grand saloon, where we 
137 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

were received by the host and hostess. 
Now of this grand saloon I must try 
to give you a conception. It was, I 
should think, from seventy-five to one 
hundred feet in length. The ceiling 
overhead was very rich with hanging 
corbels, like stalactites, and the entire 
walls were panelled, with a full-length 
family portrait in each panel, which 
was arched at the top, so that the whole 
wall was composed of these round- 
topped pictures with rich gilding between. 
Notwithstanding its vast size, the sofas 
and tables were so disposed all over the 
apartment as to give it the most friend- 
ly, warm, and social aspect. 

Lady Braybrooke herself ushered me 
to my apartments, which were the state 
rooms. First came Mr. Bancroft's 
dressing-room, where was a blazing fire. 
Then came the bedroom, with the state 
bed of blue and gold, covered with em- 
138 



Letters from England 

broidery, and with the arms and coronet 
of Howard de Walden. The walls were 
hung with crimson and white damask, 
and the sofas and chairs also, and it was 
surrounded by pictures, among others a 
full length of Queen Charlotte, just op- 
posite the foot of the bed, always saluted 
me every morning when I awoke, with 
her fan, her hoop, and her deep ruffles. 
My dressing-room, which was on the 
opposite side from Mr. Bancroft's, was 
a perfect gem. It was painted by the 
famous Rebecco who came over from 
Italy to ornament so many of the great 
English houses at one time. The whole 
ceiling and walls were covered with 
beautiful designs and with gilding, and 
a beautiful recess for a couch was sup- 
ported by fluted gilded columns; the 
architraves and mouldings of the doors 
were gilt, and the panels of the doors 
were filled with Rebecco's beautiful de- 
139 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

signs. The chairs were of light blue em- 
broidered with thick, heavy gold, and all 
this bearing the stamp of antiquity was 
a thousand times more interesting than 
mere modern splendor. In the centre 
of the room was a toilet of white mus- 
lin (universal here), and on it a gilt 
dressing-glass, which gave a pretty effect 
to the whole. 

I sat at dinner between Lord Bray- 
brooke and Sir John Boileau, and 
found them both very agreeable. The 
dining-room is as magnificent as the 
other apartments. The ceiling is in 
the Elizabethan style, covered with fig- 
ures, and the walls white and gold pan- 
elling hung with full-length family por- 
traits not set into the wall like the 
saloon, but in frames. In the evening 
the young people had a round game at 
cards and the elder ones seemed to pre- 
fer talking to a game at whist. The 
140 



Letters from England 

ladies brought down their embroidery 
or netting. At eleven a tray with wine 
and water is brought in and a quantity 
of bed candlesticks, and everybody re- 
tires when they like. The next morn- 
ing the guests assembled at half-past nine 
in the great gallery which leads to the 
chapel to go in together to prayers. The 
chapel is really a beautiful little piece 
of architecture, with a vaulted roof and 
windows of painted glass. On one side 
is the original cast of the large monu- 
ment to Lord Cornwallis (our lord) 
which is in Westminster Abbey. After 
breakfast we passed a couple of hours 
in going all over the house, which is in 
perfect keeping in every part. 

We returned to the library, a room as 
splendid as the saloon, only instead of 
pictured panels it was surrounded by 
books in beautiful gilt bindings. In the 
immense bay window was a large Louis 
141 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Quatorze table, round which the ladies 
all placed themselves at their embroid- 
ery, though I preferred looking over 
curious illuminated missals, etc., etc. 

The next day was the meeting of the 
County Agricultural Society. ... At 
the hour appointed we all repaired to 
the ground where the prizes were to be 
given out. . . . Lord Braybrooke 
made first a most paternal and interest- 
ing address, which showed me in the most 
favorable view the relation between the 
noble and the lower class in England, a 
relation which must depend much on the 
personal character of the lord of the 
manor. . . . First came prizes to 
ploughmen, then the plough boys, then 
the shepherds, then to such peasants as 
had reared many children without aid, 
then to women who had been many years 
in the same farmer's service, etc., etc. A 
clock was awarded to a poor man and 
142 



Letters from England 

his wife who had reared six children 
and buried seven without aid from the 
parish. The rapture with which Mr. 
and Mrs. Flitton and the whole six chil- 
dren gazed on this clock, an immense 
treasure for a peasant's cottage, was both 
comic and affecting. . . . The next 
morning we made our adieus to our kind 
host and hostess, and set off for London, 
accompanied by Sir John Tyrrell, Major 
Beresford, and young Mr. Boileau. 

To W. D. B. 

London, November 4, 1847. 

Dear W. : . . . Mr. Bancroft and 
I dined on Friday, the 22d, with Mr. 
and Mrs. Hawes, under-Secretary of 
State, to meet Mr. Brooke, the Rajah 
of Sarawak, who is a great lion in Lon- 
don just now. He is an English gentle- 
man of large fortune who has done much 
143 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

to Christianize Borneo, and to open its 
trade to the English. I sat between him 
and Mr. Ward, formerly Minister to 
Mexico before Mr. Pakenham. He 
wrote a very nice book on Mexico, and 
is an agreeable and intelligent person. 
. . . On Wednesday A. and I went 
together to the National Gallery, and 
just as we were setting out Mr. Butler 
of New York came in and I invited him 
to join us. . . . While we were 
seated before a charming Claude who 
should come in but Mr. R. W. Emer- 
son and we had quite a joyful greeting. 
Just then came in Mr. Rogers with two 
ladies, one on each arm. He renewed 
his request that I would bring my son 
to breakfast with him, and appointed 
Friday morning, and then added if those 
gentlemen who are with you are your 
friends and countrymen, perhaps they 
will accompany you. They very gladly 
144 



Letters from England 

acceded, and I was thankful Mr. Emer- 
son had chanced to be with me at that 
moment as it procured him a high pleas- 
ure. 

Yesterday your father and I dined 
with Sir George Grey. . . . About 
four o'clock came on such a fog as I 
have not seen in London, and the news- 
papers of this morning speak of it as 
greater than has been known for many 
years. Sir George Grey lives in Eaton 
Place, which is parallel and just behind 
Eaton Square. In going that little dis- 
tance, though there is a brilliant gas light 
at every door, the coachman was com- 
pletely bewildered, and lost himself en- 
tirely. We could only walk the horses, 
the footman exploring ahead. When 
the guests by degrees arrived, there was 
the same rejoicing as if we had met on 
Mont St. Bernard after a contest with 
an Alpine snow-storm. . . . Lady 
145 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Grey told me she was dining with the 
Queen once in one of these tremendous 
fogs, and that many of the guests did 
not arrive till dinner was half through, 
which was horrible at a royal dinner; 
but the elements care little for royal- 
ty. 

November 14th. 

On Saturday we dined at the Due de 
Broglie's. He married the daughter 
of Madam de Stael, but she is not now 
living. I was very agreeably placed 
with Mr. Macaulay on one side of me, 
so that I found it more pleasant than 
diplomatic dinners usually. At the 
English tables we meet people who 
know each other well, and have a 
common culture and tastes and habits 
of familiarity, and a fund of pleas- 
ant stories, but of course, at foreign 
tables, they neither know each other or 
the English so well as to give the same 
146 



Letters from England 

easy flow to conversation. I am afraid 
we are the greatest diners-out in London, 
but we are brought into contact a great 
deal with the literary and Parliamentary 
people, which our colleagues know little 
about, as also with the clergy and the 
judges. I should not be willing to make 
it the habit of my life, but it is time 
not misspent during the years of our 
abode here. . . . The good old 
Archbishop of York is dead, and I am 
glad I paid my visit to him when I did. 
Mr. Rogers has paid me a long visit 
to-day and gave me all the particulars 
of his death. It was a subject I should 
not have introduced, for of that knot of 
intimate friends, Mr. Grenville, the 
Archbishop, and himself, he is now all 
that remains. 

November 28th. 
. . . On Monday evening I went 
without Mr. Bancroft to a little party 
147 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

at Mrs. Lyell's, where I was introduced 
to Mrs. Somerville. She has resided for 
the last nine years abroad, chiefly at 
Venice, but has now come to London 
and taken a house very near us. . . . 
Her daughter told me that nothing could 
exceed the ease and simplicity with which 
her literary occupations were carried on. 
She is just publishing a book, upon Nat- 
ural Geography without regard to po- 
litical boundaries. She writes principally 
before she rises in the morning on a little 
piece of board, with her inkstand on a 
table by her side. After she leaves her 
room she is as much at leisure as other 
people, but if an idea strikes her she 
takes her little board into a corner or 
window and writes quietly for a short 
time and returns to join the circle. 

Dr. Somerville told me that his wife 
did not discover her genius for mathe- 
matics till she was about sixteen. Her 
14S 



Letters from England 

brother, who has no talent for it, was 
receiving a mathematical lesson from 
a master while she was hemming and 
stitching in the room. In this way she 
first heard the problems of Euclid stated 
and was ravished. When the lesson was 
over, she carried off the book to her room 
and devoured it. For a long time she 
pursued her studies secretly, as she had 
scaled heights of science which were not 
considered feminine by those about her. 

December 2d. 
I put down my pen yesterday when 
the carriage came to the door for my 
drive. It was a day bright, beaming, 
and exhilarating as one of our own 
winter days. I was so busy enjoying 
the unusual beams of the unclouded sun 
that I did not perceive for some time 
that I had left my muff, and was obliged 
to drive home again to get it. While 
149 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

I was waiting in the carriage for the 
footman to get it, two of the most agree- 
able old-lady faces in the world present- 
ed themselves at the window. They were 
the Miss Berrys. They had driven up 
behind me and got out to have a little 
talk on the sidewalk. I took them into 
Mr. Bancroft's room and was thankful 
that my muff had sent me back to receive 
a visit which at their age is rarely paid. 
. . . I found them full of delight 
at Mr. Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, 
with whose nobleness of soul they would 
have great sympathy. He is just now 
the lion of London, and like all other 
lions is run after by most people because 
he is one, and by the few because he 
deserves to be one. Now, lest you should 
know nothing about him, let me tell you 
that at his own expense he fitted out a 
vessel, and established himself at Bor- 
neo, where he soon acquired so great 
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Letters from England 

[an] ascendancy over the native Rajah, 
that he insisted on resigning to him the 
government of his province of Sarawak. 
Here, with only three European com- 
panions, by moral and intellectual force 
alone, he succeeded in suppressing piracy 
and civil war among the natives and 
opened a trade with the interior of Bor- 
neo which promises great advantages 
to England. . . . Everybody here has 
the Influenza — a right-down influenza, 
that sends people to their beds. Those 
who have triumphed at their exemption 
in the evening, wake up perhaps in the 
morning full of aches in every limb, and 
scoff no longer. . . . Dinner parties 
are sometimes quite broken up by the 
excuses that come pouring in at the last 
moment. Lady John Russell had seven 
last week at a small dinner of twelve; 
1,200 policemen at one time were taken 
off duty, so that the thieves might have 
151 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

had their own way, but they were prob- 
ably as badly off themselves. 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 

London, December 16, 1847. 

My dear Uncle and Aunt: . . . 
On Saturday Mr. Hallam wrote us that 
Sir Robert Peel had promised to break- 
fast with him on Monday morning and 
he thought we should like to meet him 
in that quiet way. So we presented our- 
selves at ten o'clock, and were joined 
by Sir Robert, Lord Mahon, Macaulay, 
and Milman, who with Hallam himself, 
formed a circle that could not be exceed- 
ed in the wide world. I was the only 
lady, except Miss Hallam; but I am 
especially favored in the breakfast line. 
I would cross the Atlantic only for the 
pleasure I had that morning in hearing 
such men talk for two or three hours in 
an entirely easy unceremonious breakfast 
152 



Letters from England 

way. Sir Robert was full of stories, and 
showed himself as much the scholar as 
the statesman. Macaulay was overflow- 
ing as usual, and Lord Mahon and Mil- 
man are full of learning and accomplish- 
ments. The classical scholarship of these 
men is very perfect and sometimes one 
catches a glimpse of awfully deep abysses 
of learning. But then it is only a glimpse, 
for their learning has no cumbrous and 
dull pedantry about it. They are all men 
of society and men of the world, who 
keep up with it everywhere. There is 
many a pleasant story and many a good 
joke, and everything discussed but poli- 
tics, which, as Sir Robert and Macaulay 
belong to opposite dynasties, might be 
dangerous ground. 

After dinner we went a little before 

ten to Lady Charlotte Lindsay's. She 

came last week to say that she was to 

have a little dinner on Monday and 

153 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

wished us to come in afterwards. This 
is universal here, and is the easiest and 
most agreeable form of society. She had 
Lord Brougham and Colonel and Mrs. 
Dawson-Damer, etc., to dine. . . . 
Mrs. Darner wished us to come the next 
evening to her in the same way, just to 
get our cup of tea. These nice little 
teas are what you need in Boston. There 
is no supper, no expense, nothing but 
society. Mrs. Darner is the grand- 
daughter of the beautiful Lady Walde- 
grave, the niece of Horace Walpole, 
who married the Duke of Gloucester. 
She was left an orphan at a year old 
and was confided by her mother to the 
care of Mrs. Fitzherbert. She lived 
with her until her marriage and was a 
great pet of George IV, and tells a great 
many interesting stories of him and Mrs. 
Fitzherbert, who was five years older 
than he. 

154 




h 



m* 




MRS. DAWSON DAMER 
From the miniature by Isabey, by permission of Lady Constance Leslie 



Letters from England 
To W. D. B. 

London, December 30, 1847. 

Dear W. : Your father left me on 
the 1 8th to go to Paris. This is the best 
of all seasons for him to be there, for the 
Ministers are all out of town at Christ- 
mas, and in Paris everything is at its 
height. My friends are very kind to me 
— those who remain in town. . . . One 
day I dined at Sir Francis Simpkinson's 
and found a pleasant party. Lady Simp- 
kinson is a sister of Lady Franklin, whom 
I was very glad to meet, as she has been 
in America and knows many Americans, 
Mrs. Kirkland for one. . . . Then 
I have passed one evening for the first 
time at Mr. Tagent's, the Unitarian 
clergyman, where I met many of the lit- 
erary people who are out of the great 
world, and yet very desirable to see. 
155 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

There, too, I met the Misses Cush- 
man, Charlotte and Susan, who attend 
his church. I was very much pleased 
with both of them. I have never seen 
them play, but they will send me a list of 
their parts at their next engagement and 
I shall certainly go to hear them. They 
are of Old Colony descent (from Elder 
Cushman), and have very much of the 
New England character, culture, and 
good sense. On Monday I dined at 
Sir Edward Codrington's, the hero of 
Navarino, with the Marquis and Mar- 
chioness of Queensberry, and a party of 
admirals and navy officers. On Tuesday 
I dined at Lady Braye's, where were 
Mr. Rogers, Dr. Holland, Sir Augustus 
and Lady Albinia Foster, formerly Brit- 
ish Minister to the United States. He 
could describe our Court, as he called 
it, in the time of Madison and Mon- 
roe. 

156 



Letters from England 

January I, 1848. 

This evening, in addition to my usual 
morning letter from your father, I have 
another; a new postal arrangement be- 
ginning to-day with the New Year. He 
gives me a most interesting conversation 
he has just been having with Baron von 
Humboldt, who is now in Paris. He 
says he poured out a delicious stream of 
remarks, anecdotes, narratives, opinions. 
He feels great interest in our Mexican 
affairs, as he has been much there, and 
is a Mexican by adoption. 

His letter, dated the 31st December, 
says: "Madam Adelaide died at three 
this morning." This death astonished 
me, for he saw her only a few evenings 
since at the Palace. She was a woman 
of strong intellect and character, and her 
brother, the King, was very much at- 
tached to her as a counsellor and friend. 
. . . There were more than 100 
157 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Americans to be presented on New 
Year's Day at Paris, and, as Madam 
Adelaide's death took place without a 
day's warning, you can imagine the em- 
broidered coats and finery which were 
laid on the shelf. 

Saturday, January 7th. 

Yesterday, my dear son, I had a de- 
lightful dinner at the dear Miss Berrys. 
They drove to the door on Thursday and 
left a little note to say, "Can you for- 
give a poor sick soul for not coming to 
you before, when you were all alone," 
and begging me to come the next day 
at seven, to dine. There was Lady Char- 
lotte and Lady Stuart de Rothesay, who 
was many years ambassadress at Paris, 
and very agreeable. Then there was 
Dr. Holland and Mr. Stanley, the Un- 
der-Secretary of State, etc. In the even- 
ing came quite an additional party, and 
I passed it most pleasantly. . . . 
158 



Letters from England 

Your father writes that on Friday he 
dined at Thiers' with Mignet, Cousin, 
Pontois, and Lord Normanby. He says 
such a dinner is "unique in a man's life." 
"Mignet is delightful, frank, open, gay, 
full of intelligence, and of that grace 
which makes society charming." . . . 
Your father to-day gives me some ac- 
count of Thiers. He is now fifty: he 
rises at five o'clock every morning, toils 
till twelve, breakfasts, makes researches, 
and then goes to the Chambers. In the 
evening he always receives his friends 
except Wednesdays and Thursdays, when 
he attends his wife to the opera and to 
the Academic 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 

London, January 28th, 1848. 

My dear Uncle and Aunt : . . . 

Last Monday I received [this] note 

from George Sumner, which I thought 

159 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

might interest you: "My dear Mrs. 
Bancroft: I hasten to congratulate you 
upon an event most honorable to Mr. 
Bancroft and to our country. The 
highest honor which can be bestowed in 
France upon a foreigner has just been 
conferred on him. He was chosen this 
afternoon a Corresponding Member of 
the Institute. Five names were presented 
for the vacant chair of History. Every 
vote but one was in favor of Mr. Ban- 
croft (that one for Mr. Grote of Lon- 
don, author of the 'History of Greece'). 
A gratifying fact in regard to this elec- 
tion is that it comes without the knowl- 
edge of Mr. Bancroft, and without any 
of those preliminary visits on his part, 
and those appeals to academicians whose 
votes are desired, that are so common 
with candidates for vacancies at the In- 
stitute. The honor acquires double value 

for being unsought, and I have heard 

1 60 




MRS. FITZHERBERT 

From the pastel by J. Russell 



Letters from England 

with no small satisfaction several Mem- 
bers of the Academy contrast the modest 
reserve of Mr. Bancroft with the restless 
manoeuvres to which they have been ac- 
customed. Prescott, you know, is al- 
ready a member, and I think America 
may be satisfied with two out of seven 
of a class of History which is selected 
from the world." 

To T. D. 

London, February 24, 1848. 

My dear Brother: . . . Great 
excitement exists in London to-day at 
the reception of the news from France. 
Guizot is overthrown, and Count Mole 
is made Prime Minister. The National 
Guards have sided with the people, and 
would not fire upon them, and that se- 
cret of the weakness of the army being 
revealed, I do not see why the Liberal 
161 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

party cannot obtain all they want in the 
end. Louis Philippe has sacrificed the 
happiness of France for the advance- 
ment of his own family, but nations in 
the nineteenth [century] have learned 
that they were not made to be the slaves 
of a dynasty. Mr. Bancroft dines with 
the French Minister to-day, not with a 
party, but quite en famille, and he will 
learn there what the hopes and fears of 
the Government are. 

February 25th. 

The news this morning is only from 
Amiens, which has risen in support of 
France. The railways are torn up all 
round Paris, to prevent the passage of 
troops, and the roads and barriers are all 
in possession of the people. All France 
will follow the lead of Paris, and what 
will be the result Heaven only knows. 



162 



Letters from England 
To L P. D. 

London, February 26, 1848. 

My dear Uncle : ... On Thurs- 
day Mr. Bancroft dined with Count Jar- 
nac, the Minister in the Due de Broglie's 
absence, and he little dreamed of the 
blow awaiting him. The fortifications 
and the army seemed to make the King 
quite secure. On Friday Mr. Bancroft 
went to dine with Kenyon, and I drove 
there with him for a little air. On my 
return Cates, the butler, saluted me with 
the wondrous news of the deposition and 
flight of the royal family, which Mr. 
Brodhead had rushed up from his club 
to impart to us. I was engaged to a 
little party at Mr. Hallam's, where I 
found everybody in great excitement. 

Sunday Noon. 

To-day we were to have dined with 

Baron de Rothschild, but this morning 
163 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

I got a note from the beautiful baron- 
ess, saying that her sister-in-law and her 
mother with three children, had just 
arrived from Paris at her house in the 
greatest distress, without a change of 
clothes, and in deep anxiety about the 
Baron, who had stayed behind. 

Our colleagues all look bewildered 
and perplexed beyond measure. . . . 
The English aristocracy have no love for 
Louis Philippe, but much less for a re- 
public, so near at hand, and everybody 
seemed perplexed and uneasy. 

Tuesday. 
On Sunday the Due de Nemours ar- 
rived at the French Embassy, and Mon- 
day the poor Duchess de Montpensier, 
the innocent cause of all the trouble. No 
one knows where the Duchess de Ne- 
mours and her younger children are, and 
the King and Queen are entirely miss- 
164 



Letters from England 

ing. At one moment it is reported that 
he is drowned, and then, again, at Brus- 
sels. 

Wednesday. 

To-day the French Embassy have re- 
ceived despatches announcing the new 
government, and Count Jarnac has im- 
mediately resigned. This made it im- 
possible for the Due de Nemours and 
the Duchess de Montpensier to remain 
at the Embassy, and they fell by inher- 
itance to Mr. Van de Weyer, whose 
Queen is Louis Philippe's daughter. 
The Queen has taken Louis Philippe's 
daughter, Princess Clementine, who 
married Prince Auguste de Saxe-Coburg 
to the Palace, but for State Policy's sake 
she can do nothing about the others. 
Mr. Van de Weyer offered Mr. Bates's 
place of East Sheen, which was most 
gratefully accepted. 



165 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Friday. 

This morning came Thackeray, who 
is the soul of Punch, and showed me a 
piece he had written for the next num- 
ber. 

Saturday. 

The King has arrived. What a cross- 
ing of the Channel, pea-jacket, woollen 
comforter, and all ! The flight is a per- 
fect comedy, and if Punch had tried to 
invent anything more ludicrous, it would 
have failed. Panic, despotism, and 
cowardice. 

These things are much more exciting 
here than across the water. We are so 
near the scene of action and everybody 
has a more personal interest here in all 
these matters. The whole week has 
been like a long play, and now, on Satur- 
day night, I want nothing but repose. 
What a dream it must be to the chief 
actors ! The Queen, who is always good 

166 



Letters from England 

and noble, was averse to such ignomin- 
ious flight; she preferred staying and 
taking what came, and if Madam Ade- 
laide had lived, they would never have 
made such a [word undecipherable] fig- 
ure. Her pride and courage would have 
inspired them. With her seemed to fly 
Louis Philippe's star, as Napoleon's 
with Josephine. . . . Mr. Emerson 
has just come to London and we give 
him a dinner on Tuesday, the 14th. 
Several persons wish much to see him, 
and Monckton Milnes reviewed him in 
Blackwood. 



To W. D. B. 

London, March 11, 1848. 
Dear W.: . . . Yesterday we 
dined at Lord Lansdowne's. Among 
the guests were M. and Madam Van de 

Weyer, and Mrs. Austin, the transla- 

167 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

tress, who has been driven over here 
from Paris, where she has resided for 
several years. She is a vehement friend 
of Guizot's, though a bitter accuser of 
Louis Philippe, but how can they be sep- 
arated? She interests herself strongly 
now in all his arrangements, and is assist- 
ing his daughters to form their humble 
establishment. He and his daughters 
together have about eight hundred 
pounds a year, and that in London is 
poverty. They have taken a small house 
in Brompton Square, a little out of town, 
and one of those suburban, unfashiona- 
ble regions where the most accommoda- 
tions can be had at the least price. 
What a change for those who have wit- 
nessed their almost regal receptions in 
Paris! The young ladies bear very 
sweetly all their reverses. . . . Gui- 
zot, himself, I hear, is as fier as ever, 
and almost gay. Princess de Lieven is 

168 



Letters from England 

here at the " Clarendon," and their 
friendship is as great as ever. 

March 15th. 

Yesterday we had an agreeable din- 
ner at our own house. Macaulay, Mil- 
man, Lord Morpeth and Monckton 
Milnes were all most charming, and we 
ladies listened with eager ears. Conver- 
sation was never more interesting than 
just now, in this great crisis of the 
world's affairs. Mr. Emerson was here 
and seemed to enjoy [it] much. 

Friday, March 17th. 

Things look rather darker in France, 
but we ought not to expect a republic 
to be established without some difficul- 
ties. . . . You cannot judge of the 
state of France, however, through the 
medium of the English newspapers, for, 
of course, English sympathies are all 
169 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

entirely against it. They never like 
France, and a republic of any kind still 
less. A peaceful and prosperous repub- 
lic in the heart of Europe would be 
more deprecated than a state of anarchy. 
The discussion of French matters reveals 
to me every moment the deep repugnance 
of the English to republican institutions. 
It lets in a world of light upon opinions 
and feelings, which, otherwise, would 
not have been discovered by me. 

Sunday, March 19th. 

Yesterday we breakfasted at Mrs. 
Milman's. I was the only lady, but 
there were Macaulay, Hallam, Lord 
Morpeth, and, above all, Charles Aus- 
tin, whom I had not seen before, as he 
never dines out, but who is the most 
striking talker in England. He has 
made a fortune by the law in the last 

few years, which gives him an income of 

170 




RICHARD MON'CKTON MILNES, (LORD HOUGHTON) 

From the drawing by Cousins, by permission 01 the Hon. Mrs. Arthur 
Henniker 



Letters from England 

£8,000. He has the great railroad cases 
which come before the House of Lords. 
. . . On Tuesday came a flying report 
of a revolution in Berlin, but no one be- 
lieved it. We concluded it rather a 
speculation of the newsmen, who are 
hawking revolutions after every mail in 
second and third editions. We were go- 
ing that evening to a soiree at Bunsen's, 
whom we found cheerful as ever and 
fearing no evil. On Monday the news 
of the revolution in Austria produced a 
greater sensation even than France, for 
it was the very pivot of conservatism. 
. . . On Thursday I received the let- 
ter from A. at eight A. M., which I en- 
close to you. It gives an account of the 
revolution in Berlin. 



171 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 
To T. D. 

March 31. 

The old world is undergoing a com- 
plete reorganization, and is unfolding a 
rapid series of events more astonishing 
than anything in history. Where it will 
stop, and what will be its results, nobody 
can tell. Royalty has certainly not add- 
ed to its respectability by its conduct in 
its time of trial. Since the last steamer 
went, Italy has shaken off the Austrian 
yoke, Denmark has lost her German 
provinces, Poland has risen, or is about 
to rise, which will bring Russia thunder- 
ing down upon Liberal Europe. . . . 
Our whole Diplomatic Corps are cer- 
tainly " in a fix," and we are really the 
only members of it who have any reason 
to be quite at ease. Two or three have 
been called home to be Ministers of For- 
eign Affairs, as they have learned some- 
172 



Letters from England 

thing of constitutional liberty in Eng- 
land. England is, as yet, all quiet, and 
I hope will keep so, but the Chartists are 
at work and Ireland is full of inflamma- 
ble matter. But England does love her 
institutions, and is justly proud of their 
comparative freedom, and long may she 
enjoy them. ... On Sunday Mr. 
Emerson dined with us with Lady Mor- 
gan and Mrs. Jameson — the authoress. 
On Monday I took him to a little party 
at Lady Morgan's. His works are a 
good deal known here. I have great 
pleasure in seeing so old a friend so far 
from home. ... I think we shall 
have very few of our countrymen out 
this spring, as travelling in Europe is so 
uncertain, with everything in commotion. 
Those who are passing the winter in Italy 
are quite shut in at present, and if war 
begins, no one knows where it will 
spread. 

173 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 
To W. D. B. 

London, April 7, 184.8. 

. . . On Wednesday we had an 
agreeable dinner at Mrs. Milner Gib- 
son's. Mr. and Mrs. Disraeli, Mr. and 
Mrs. Sheridan (brother of Mrs. Nor- 
ton), etc., were among the guests. After 
dinner I had a very long talk with Dis- 
raeli. He is, you know, of the ultra 
Tory party here, and looks at the Con- 
tinental movements from the darkest 
point of view. He cannot admit as a 
possibility the renovation of European 
society upon more liberal principles, and 
considers it as the complete dissolution 
of European civilization which will, like 
Asia, soon present but the ashes of a 
burnt-out flame. This is most atheistic, 
godless, and un-christian doctrine, and 
he cannot himself believe it. The art of 
printing and the rapid dissemination 
174 



Letters from England 

of thought changes all these things in 
our days. 

To I. P. D. 

April 10. 

This is the day of the " Great Chart- 
ist Meeting," which has terrified all 
London to the last degree, I think most 
needlessly. The city and town is at this 
moment stiller than I have ever known 
it, for not a carriage dares to be out. 
Nothing is to be seen but a " special con- 
stable " (every gentleman in London is 
sworn into that office) , occasionally some 
on foot, some on horseback, scouring the 
streets. I took a drive early this morn- 
ing with Mr. Bancroft, and nothing 
could be less like the eve of a revolution. 
This evening, when the petition is to be 
presented, may bring some disturbance, 
not from the Chartists themselves, but 

175 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

from the disorderly persons who may 
avail themselves of the occasion. The 
Queen left town on Saturday for the Isle 
of Wight, as she had so lately been con- 
fined it was feared her health might 
suffer from any agitation. ... I 
passed a long train of artillery on Satur- 
day evening coming into town, which 
was the most in earnest looking thing I 
have seen. . . . To-day we were to 
have dined at Mrs. Mansfield's, but her 
dinner was postponed from the great 
alarm about the Chartists. There is not 
the slightest danger of a revolution 
in England. The upper middle-class, 
which on the continent is entirely with 
the people, the professional and mercan- 
tile class, is here entirely conservative, 
and without that class no great changes 
can ever be made. The Due de Monte- 
bello said of France, that he " knew 
there were lava streams below, but he 
176 



Letters from England 

did not know the crust was so thin." 
Here, on the contrary, the crust is very 
thick. And yet I can see in the most 
conservative circles that a feeling is gain- 
ing ground that some concessions must 
be made. An enlargement of the suf- 
frage one hears now often discussed as, 
perhaps, an approaching necessity. 

Friday, April 14. 

The day of the Chartists passed off 
with most ridiculous quiet, and the gov- 
ernment is stronger than ever. . . . 
If the Alien Bill passes, our American 
friends must mind their p's and q's, for 
if they praise the " model republic " too 
loudly, they may be packed off at any 
time, particularly if they have " long 
beards," for it seems to be an axiom here 
that beards, mustaches, and barricades 
are cousins-german at least. . . . Mr. 
Bancroft goes to Paris on Monday, the 
177 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

17th, to pass the Easter holidays. He 
will go on with his manuscripts, and at 
the same time witness the elections and 
meeting of the Convention. 



To W. D. B. 

London, April 19, 1848. 
Dear W. : . . . To-day I have 
driven down to Richmond to lunch with 
Mrs. Drummond, who is passing the 
Easter holidays there. On coming home 
I found a letter from Mr. Bancroft from 
which I will make some extracts, as he 
has the best sources of knowledge in 
Paris. " Then I went to Mignet, who, 
you know, is politically the friend of 
Thiers. He pointed out to me the con- 
dition of France, and drew for me a pict- 
ure of what it was and of the change. 
I begin to see the difference between 
France and us. Here they are accus- 
es 



Letters from England 

tomed to be governed. We are accus- 
tomed to govern. Here power may be 
seized and exercised, if exercised in a 
satisfactory manner; with us the founda- 
tion of power, its constitutionality and 
the legality of its acts are canvassed and 
analyzed. Here an unpopularity is made 
away with by a revolution, and you know 
how we deal with it. Thus, power, if in 
favor, may dare anything, and if out of 
favor is little likely to be forgiven." 
. . . " Our fathers had to unite the 
thirteen States; here they have unity 
enough and run no risk but from the ex- 
cess of it. My hopes are not less than 
they were, but all that France needs may 
not come at once. We were fourteen 
years in changing our confederation into 
a union, perhaps France cannot be ex- 
pected to jump at once into perfect legis- 
lation or perfect forms. Crude ideas are 
afloat, but as to Communism, it is al- 

179 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

ready exploded, or will be brushed away 
from legislative power as soon as the 
National Assembly meets, though the 
question of ameliorating the condition of 
the laboring class is more and more en- 
gaging the public mind." ..." I 
spent an hour with Cousin, the Minister 
of a morning. He gave me sketches of 
many of the leading men of these times, 
and I made him detail to me the scene 
of Louis Philippe's abdication, which 
took place in a manner quite different 
from what I had heard in London." 
. . . " Cousin, by the way, says that 
the Due de Nemours throughout, be- 
haved exceedingly well. Thence to the 
Club de la Nouvelle Republique. Did 
not think much of the speaking which I 
heard. From the club I went to Thiers, 
where I found Cousin and Mignet and 
one or two more. Some change since I 
met him. A leader of opposition, then 
1 80 



Letters from England 

a prime minister, and now left aground 
by the shifting tide." ..." Every- 
body has given up Louis Philippe, every- 
body considers the nonsense of Louis 
Blanc as drawing to its close. The dele- 
gates from Paris will full half be uni- 
versally acceptable. Three-fourths of 
the provincial delegates will be moderate 
republicans. The people are not in a 
passion. They go quietly enough about 
their business of constructing new insti- 
tutions. Ledru-Rollin, Louis Blanc, 
and Flocon tried to lead the way to ill, 
but Lamartine, whose heroism passes be- 
lief and activity passes human power, won 
the victory over them, found himself 
on Sunday, and again yesterday, sus- 
tained by all Paris, and has not only con- 
quered but conciliated them, and every- 
body is now firmly of opinion that the 
Republic will be established quietly." 
..." But while there are no difficul- 

1S1 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

ties from the disorderly but what can 
easily be overcome, the want of republi- 
can and political experience, combined 
with vanity and self-reliance and ideal- 
ism, may throw impediments in the way 
of what the wisest wish, viz., two elected 
chambers and a president." 



To W. D. B. 

London, May 5, 1848. 

My dear W. : . . . Last evening, 
Thursday, we went to see Jenny Lind, 
on her first appearance this year. She 
was received with enthusiasm, and the 
Queen still more so. It was the first time 
the Queen had been at the opera since 
the birth of her child, and since the re- 
publican spirit was abroad, and loyalty 
burst out in full force. Now loyalty is 
very novel, and pleasant to witness, to us 
who have never known it. 
182 



Letters from England 

London, May 31, 1848. 

. . . Now for my journal, which 
has gone lamely on since the 24th of 
February. The Queen's Ball was to 
take place the evening on which I closed 
my last letter. My dress was a white 
crepe over white satin, with flounces of 
Honiton lace looped up with pink tube- 
roses. A wreath of tuberoses and bou- 
quet for the corsage. We had tickets 
sent us to go through the garden and set 
down at a private door, which saves 
waiting in the long line of carriages for 
your turn. The Diplomatic Corps ar- 
range themselves in a line near the door 
at which the Queen enters the suite of 
rooms, which was at ten precisely. She 
passes through, curtseying and bowing 
very gracefully, until she reaches the 
throne in the next room, where she and 
the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess 
of Saxe-Weimar and her daughters, who 
183 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

are here on a visit, etc., sit down, while 
Prince Albert, the Prince of Prussia and 
other sprigs of royalty stand near. The 
dancing soon began in front of the can- 
opy, but the Queen herself did not dance 
on account of her mourning for Prince 
Albert's grandmother. There was an- 
other band and dancing in other rooms 
at the same time. After seeing several 
dances here the Queen and her suite 
move by the flourish of trumpets to an- 
other room, the guests forming a lane as 
she passes, bowing and smiling. After- 
ward she made a similar progress to sup- 
per, her household officers moving back- 
wards before her, and her ladies and 
royal relatives and friends following. 
At half-past one Her Majesty retired 
and the guests departed, such as did not 
have to wait two hours for their car- 
riages. On Saturday we went at two to 
the fete of flowers at Chiswick, and at 
184 



Letters from England 

half-past seven dined at Lord Mont- 
eagle's to meet Monsieur and Made- 
moiselle Guizot. He has the finest head 
in the world, but his person is short and 
insignificant. 

On Wednesday we dined at Lady 
Chantrey's to meet a charming party. 
Afterward we went to a magnificent ball 
at the Duke of Devonshire's, with all 
the great world. On Friday we went to 
Faraday's lecture at the Royal Institu- 
tion. We went in with the Duke 
and Duchess of Northumberland, and I 
sat by her during the lecture. On Satur- 
day was the Queen's Birthday Drawing- 
Room. . . . Mr. Bancroft dined at 
Lord Palmerston's with all the diplo- 
mats, and I went in the evening with a 
small party of ladies. On coming home 
we drove round to see the brilliant birth- 
day illuminations. The first piece of in- 
telligence I heard at Lady Palmerston's 
185 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

was the death of the Princess Sophia, an 
event which is a happy release for her, 
for she was blind and a great sufferer. It 
has overturned all court festivities, of 
course, for the present, and puts us all 
in deep mourning, which is not very con- 
venient just now, in the brilliant season, 
and when we had all our dress arrange- 
ments made. The Queen was to have 
had a concert to-night, a drawing-room 
next Friday, and a ball on the 16th, 
which are all deferred. ... I for- 
got to say that I got a note from Miss 
Coutts on Sunday, asking me to go with 
her the next day to see the Chinese junk, 
so at three the next day we repaired to 
her house. Her sisters (Miss Burdetts) 
and Mr. Rogers were all the party. At 
the junk for the first time I saw Metter- 
nich and the Princess, his wife. 



1 86 



Letters from England 
To W. D. B. 

London, June 29, 1848. 

My dear W. : . . . When I last 
left off I was going to dine at Miss 
Coutts's to meet the Duchess of Cam- 
bridge. The party was brilliant, includ- 
ing the Duke of Wellington, Lord and 
Lady Douro, Lady Jersey and the beau- 
tiful Lady Clementina Villiers, her 
daughter, etc. When royal people ar- 
rive everybody rises and remains stand- 
ing while they stand, and if they ap- 
proach you or look at you, you must 
perform the lowest of " curtsies." The 
courtesy made to royalty is very like the 
one I was taught to make when a little 
girl at Miss Tuft's school in Plymouth. 
One sinks down instead of stepping back 
in dancing-school fashion. After dinner 
the Duchess was pleased to stand until 
the gentlemen rejoined us ; of course, we 
187 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

must all stand. . . . The next day 
we dined at the Lord Mayor's to meet 
the Ministers. This was a most interest- 
ing affair. We had all the peculiar cere- 
monies which I described to you last 
autumn, but in addition the party was 
most distinguished, and we had speeches 
from Lord Lansdowne, Lord Palmer- 
ston, Lord John, Lord Auckland, Sir 
George Grey, etc. 

To W. D. B. 

London, July 21, 1848. 
I was truly grieved that the last steam- 
er should go to Boston without a line 
from me, but I was in Yorkshire and you 
must forgive me. ... I left off with 
the 26th of June. . . . The next 
evening was the Queen's Concert, which 
was most charming. I sat very near the 
Duke of Wellington, who often spoke to 



Letters from England 

me between the songs. . . . The next 
day we went with Miss Coutts to her 
bank, lunched there, and went all over 
the building. Then we went to the Tow- 
er and the Tunnel together, she never 
having seen either. So ignorant are the 
West End people of city lions. . . . 
And now comes my pleasant Yorkshire 
excursion. We left London, at half-past 
nine and arrived at York at half-past 
three, at distance of 180 miles. This 
was Saturday, July 8. At York we 
found Mr. Hudson ready to receive us 
and conduct us to a special train which 
took us eighteen miles on the way to 
Newby Park, and there we found car- 
riages to take us four miles to our desti- 
nation. We met at dinner and found 
our party to consist of the Duke of Rich- 
mond, Lord Lonsdale, Lord George 
Bentinck, Lord Ingestre, Lord John 
Beresford, Lady Webster, whose hus- 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

band, now dead, was the son of Lady 
Holland, two or three agreeable talkers 
to fill in, and ourselves. 

Tuesday. 
Lady Webster, Mr. Bancroft, and 
myself, went to Castle Howard, as 
Lord Morpeth had written to his 
mother that we were to be there and 
would lunch with her. Castle How- 
ard is twenty-five miles the other side of 
York, which is itself twenty-five miles 
from Newby. But what is fifty miles 
when one is under the wing of the Rail- 
way King and can have a special engine 
at one's disposal. On arriving at the 
Castle Howard station we found Lord 
Carlisle's carriage with four horses and 
most venerable coachman waiting to re- 
ceive us. We enter the Park almost 
immediately, but it is about four miles 
to the Castle, through many gates, which 

we had mounted footmen open for us. 

190 




LORD GEORGE BENTINCK. 

Frum the picture by Lane, by permission of the Duke of Portland 



Letters from England 

Lady Carlisle received us in the most 
delightful manner. ... I was de- 
lighted to see Lord Morpeth's home and 
his mother, who seldom now goes to 
London. She was the daughter of the 
beautiful Duchess of Devonshire, and 
took me into her own dressing-room to 
show me her picture. . . . On 
Wednesday we went into York to wit- 
ness the reception of Prince Albert, to 
see the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, the 
Flower Show, to lunch with the Lord 
Mayor, and above all, to attend prayers 
in the Minster and hear a noble an- 
them. The Cathedral was crowded with 
strangers and a great many from Lon- 
don. The next day was the day of the 
great dinner, and I send you the Post 
containing Mr. Bancroft's speech. It 
was warmly admired by all who heard it. 

At ten at night we ladies set out for 

York to go [to] the Lord Mayor's Ball, 
191 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

where the gentlemen were to meet us 
from the dinner. Everybody flocked 
round to congratulate me upon your 
father's speech. Even Prince Albert, 
when I was led up to make my curtsey, 
offered me his hand, which is a great 
courtesy in royalty, and spoke of the 
great beauty and eloquence of Mr. B.'s 
speech. The Prince soon went away: 
the Lord Mayor took me down to sup- 
per and I sat between him and the Duke 
of Richmond at the high table which 
went across the head of the hall. Guild- 
hall is a beautiful old room with a fine 
old traceried window, and the scene, with 
five tables going the length of the hall 
and the upper one across the head, was 
very gay and brilliant. There were a 
few toasts, and your father again made 
a little speech, short and pleasant. We 
did not get home till half-past three in 
the morning. . . . On Friday morn- 
192 



Letters from England 

ing [July 14th] many of the guests, the 
Duke of Richmond, etc., took their de- 
parture and Mr. Hudson had to escort 
Prince Albert to town, but returned the 
same evening. . . . The next day 
we all went to pay a visit to an estate of 
Mr. Hudson's [name of estate inde- 
cipherable] for which he paid five hun- 
dred thousand pounds to the Duke of 
Devonshire. . . . It is nobly situated 
in the Yorkshire wolds, a fine range of 
hills, and overlooking the valley of the 
Humber, which was interesting to me, 
as it was the river which our Pilgrim 
fathers sailed down and lay in the Wash 
at its mouth, awaiting their passage to 
Holland. They came, our Plymouth 
fathers, mostly from Lincolnshire and 
the region which lay below us. I 
thought of them, and the scene of their 
sufferings was more ennobled in my eyes, 
from their remembrance than from the 
193 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

noble mansions and rich estates which 
feast the eye. 

On Monday morning we left New- 
by for York on our way home. It so 
happened that the judges were to open 
the court that very morning, on which 
occasion they always breakfast with the 
Lord Mayor in their scarlet robes and 
wigs, the Lord Mayor and aldermen are 
also in their furred scarlet robes and the 
Lady Mayoress presents the judges with 
enormous bouquets of the richest flow- 
ers. We were invited to this breakfast, 
and I found it very entertaining. I was 
next the High Sheriff, who was very de- 
sirous that we should stay a few hours 
and go to the castle and see the court 
opened and listen to a case or two. The 
High Sheriff of a county is a great char- 
acter and has a carriage and liveries as 
grand as the Queen's. After breakfast 

we bade adieu to our York friends, and 
194 




SIR ROBERT PEEL 
From the mezzotint after Sir T. Lawrence, R. A, 



Letters from England 

set off with our big bouquets (for the 
distribution was extended to us) for 
home. 

To T. D. 

London, August 9, 1848. 

My dear Brother: ... On 
Saturday we set off for Nuneham, the 
magnificent seat of the late Archbishop 
of York, now in possession of his eldest 
son, Mr. Granville Harcourt. . . . 
The guests besides ourselves were Sir 
Robert and Lady Peel, Lord and Lady 
Villiers, Lord and Lady Norreys, Lord 
Harry Vane, etc. We considered it a 
great privilege to be staying in the same 
house with Sir Robert Peel, and I had 
also the pleasure of sitting by him at 
dinner all the three days we were there. 
He was full of conversation of the best 
kind. Mr. Denison and Lady Char- 
ts 



Mrs. George Bancrofts 

lotte, his wife, were also of our party. 
She was the daughter of the Duke of 
Portland and sister of Lord George 
Bentinck, Sir Robert's great antagonist 
in the House. 

On Sunday morning we attended the 
pretty little church on the estate which 
with its parsonage is a pleasing object 
on the grounds. The next day the 
whole party were taken to Blenheim, the 
seat of the famous Duke of Marl- 
borough, built at the expense of the 
country. The grounds are exquisite, but 
I was most charmed by the collection of 
pictures. Here were the finest Vandykes, 
Rubens, and Sir Joshua Reynolds which 
I have seen. Sir Robert Peel is a great 
connoisseur in art and seemed highly to 
enjoy them. Altogether it was a truly 
delightful day : the drive of fifteen miles 
in open carriages, and through Oxford, 
being of itself a high pleasure. Yester- 
196 



Letters from England 

day we returned to London, and on 
Thursday we set out for Scotland. 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 

Edinburgh, August 16, 1848. 

My dear Uncle and Aunt : 
Of Edinburgh I cannot say enough to 
express my admiration. The Castle 
Rock, Arthur's Seat, Salisbury Craigs 
and Calton Hill are all separate and fine 
mountains and, with the Frith of Forth, 
the ocean and the old picturesque town, 
make an assemblage of fine objects that 
I have seen nowhere else. Mr. Ruther- 
ford, the Lord Advocate, who is of the 
Ministry, had written to his friends that 
we were coming, and several gentlemen 
came by breakfast time the next morn- 
ing. Mr. Gordon, his nephew, married 
the daughter of Prof. Wilson, and in- 
vited us to dine that day to meet the 
professor, etc. ... We drove out 
197 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

after breakfast into th country to 
Hawthornden, formerly the residence of 
Drummond the poet, and to Lord 
Roslin's grounds, where are the ruins 
of Roslin Castle and above all, of 
the Roslin Chapel. . . . After linger- 
ing and admiring long we returned to 
Edinburgh just in season for dinner at 
Mr. Gordon's, where we found Prof. 
Wilson, and another daughter and son, 
Mrs. Rutherford, wife of the Lord 
Advocate, and Capt. Rutherford, his 
brother, with his wife. We had a very 
agreeable evening and engaged to dine 
there again quite en famille, with only 
the professor, whose conversation is de- 
lightful. 

The next morning we went out to 
Craigcrook, Lord Jeffrey's country seat, 
to see and lunch with him. He was con- 
fined to his couch. . . . He is sev- 
enty-three or seventy-four, but looks 




LADY PEEL 

After Sir T. Lawrence, R. A., ; photograph copyright by W. Mansell .<. Co. 
London 



Letters from England 

not a minute older than fifty. He has a 
fine head and forehead, and most agree- 
able and courteous manners, rather of 
the old school. As he could not rise to 
receive me he kissed my hand. Mrs. 
Jeffrey is an intelligent and agreeable 
woman but has been much out of health 
the last year. She was Miss Wilkes of 
New York, you know. The house was an 
old castellated and fortified house, and 
with modern additions is a most beauti- 
ful residence. Capt. Rutherford told me 
that when he received the Lord Advo- 
cate's letter announcing that we were 
coming, he went to see Lord Jeffrey to 
know if he would be well enough to see 
us, and he expressed the strongest ad- 
miration for Mr. Bancroft's work. 
This may have disposed them to re- 
ceive us with the cordiality which made 
our visit so agreeable. Mr. Empson, 

his son-in-law and the president editor 
199 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

of the Edinburgh Review, was staying 
there, and after talking two hours with 
Lord and Mrs. Jeffrey we took with 
him a walk in the grounds from which 
are delightful and commanding views 
of the whole environs, and never were 
environs so beautiful. 



To W. D. B. 

Tarbet on Loch Lomond, August 28, 1848. 

Dear W. . . . Being detained 

here by rain this morning I devote it to 

you and to my journal. . . . The 

next day was Sunday but the weather 

being fine we concluded to continue our 

journey, and followed the Tay seeing 

Birnam Wood and Dunsinane on our 

way up to Dunkeld, near to which is the 

fine seat of the Duke of Athol. We 

took a delightful walk in the beautiful 

grounds, and went on to Blair Athol 
200 



Letters from England 

to sleep. This is the chief residence 
of the Duke of Athol and he has 
here another house and grounds very 
pretty though not as extensive as those 
at Dunkeld. . . . When the innkeep- 
er found who we were he insisted on 
sending a message to the Duke who sent 
down an order to us to drive up Glen 
Tilt and met us there himself. We en- 
tered through the Park and followed up 
the Tilt. Nothing could be more wild 
than this narrow winding pass which we 
followed for eight miles till we came to 
the Duke's forest lodge. Here were 
waiting for us a most picturesque group 
in full Highland dress : the head stalker, 
the head shepherd, the kennel keepers 
with their dogs in leashes, the piper, 
etc., etc. They told us that the Duke 
had sent up word that we were coming 
and he would soon be there himself. 
In a few moments he appeared also in 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

full Highland costume with bare knees, 
kilt, philibeg, etc. He told us he had 
then on those mountains 15,000 head of 
deer, and thought we might like to see a 
start, as it is called. The head stalker 
told him, however, that the wind had 
changed which affects the scent, and that 
nothing could be done that day. The 
Duke tried to make us amends by mak- 
ing some of his people sing us Gaelic 
songs and show us some of the athletic 
Highland games. The little lodge he 
also went over with us, and said that the 
Duchess came there and lived six or 
seven weeks in the autumn, and that the 
Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch rented 
it for many years while he was a minor. 
If you could see the tiny little rooms, 
you would be astonished to find what the 
love of sport can do for these people 
who possess actual palaces. 

After dining again upon salmon and 



Letters from England 

grouse at the pretty little inn, we took 
a post chaise to go on to Taymouth, a 
little village adjoining Lord Breadal- 
bane's place. We did not arrive at the 
inn till after eight and found it com- 
pletely full. . . . We were sent to 
the schoolmaster's to sleep in the small- 
est of little rooms, with a great clock 
which ticked and struck so loud that we 
were obliged to silence it, to the great 
bewilderment, I dare say, of the scholars 
the next day. Before we were in bed, 
there was a knock at the door, which 
proved to be from Lord Breadalbane's 
butler, to say that he had been commis- 
sioned to enquire whenever we arrived 
at the inn, as his Lordship had heard 
that we were in Scotland and wished us 
to make them a visit. 

Next morning before we were up 
came a note from Lord Breadalbane 

urging us to come immediately to the 
203 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Castle. . . . Taymouth Castle, 
though not more than fifty years old, 
has the air of an old feudal castle. 
. . . As we were ushered up the mag- 
nificent staircase through first a large 
antechamber, then through a superb hall 
with lofty ceiling glowing with armorial 
bearings, and with the most light and 
delicate carving on every part of the 
oaken panelling, then through a long 
gallery, of heavier carving filled with 
fine old cabinets, into the library, it 
seemed to me that the whole Castle was 
one of those magical delusions that one 
reads of in Fairy Tales, so strange did 
it seem to find such princely magnificence 
all alone amid such wild and solitary 
scenes. I had always the feeling that it 
would suddenly vanish, at some wave of 
an enchanter's wand, as it must have 
arisen also. The library is by far the 

finest room I ever saw. Its windows and 
204 



Letters from England 

arches and doorways are all of a fine 
carved Gothic open work as light as gos- 
samer. One door which he lately added 
cost a thousand pounds, the door alone, 
not the doorway, so you can judge of 
the exquisite workmanship. Here Lady 
Breadalbane joined us, whom I had 
never before met. . . . During din- 
ner the piper in full costume was playing 
the pibroch in a gallery outside the win- 
dow, and after he had done a band, also 
in full Highland dress, played some of 
the Italian, German as well as Scotch 
music, at just an agreeable distance. I 
have seen nothing in England which 
compares in splendor with the state 
which is kept up here. 

We passed Wednesday and Thurs- 
day here most agreeably, and we rode 
or walked during the whole days. Lord 
Breadalbane, by the way, has just been 
appointed Lord High Chamberlain to 
205 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

the Queen in place of Lord Spencer. I 
am glad of this because we are brought 
often in contact with the Lord Cham- 
berlain, but it is very strange to me 
that a man who lives like a king, and 
through whose dominions we travelled a 
hundred miles from the German Ocean 
to the Atlantic, can be Chamberlain to 
any Queen. These feudal subordina- 
tions we republicans cannot understand. 
. . . We stopped at the little town of 
Oban. After reading our letters and 
getting a dinner, we went out just be- 
fore sunset for a walk. 

We wished much to see the ruins of 
Dunolly. We passed the porter's lodge 
and found ourselves directly in the most 
picturesque grounds on the very shore 
of the ocean and with the Western 
Islands lying before us. Mr. Bancroft 
sent in his card, which brought out in- 
stantly the key to the old castle, and in 
206 



Letters from England 

a few moments Capt. MacDougal and 
Mr. Phipps, a brother of Lord Nor- 
manby's, joined us. They pointed out 
the interesting points in the landscape, 
the Castle of Ardtornish, the scene of 
Lord of the Isles, etc., in addition to 
the fine old ruin we came to see. We 
lingered till the lighthouses had begun 
to glow, and I was reminded very much 
of the scenery at Wood's Hole, which 
I used to enjoy so much, only that could 
not boast the association with poetry 
and feudal romance. We then went into 
the house, and found a charming domes- 
tic circle in full evening dress with short 
sleeves, so that my gray travelling cloak 
and straw bonnet were rather out of 
place. Here were Mrs. Phipps, and 
Miss Campbell, her sister, daughters of 
Sir Colin Campbell, and to my great de- 
light, Captain MacDougal brought out 
the great brooch of Lorn, which his an- 
207 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

cestor won from Bruce and the story of 
which you will find in the Lord of the 
Isles. It fastened the Scotch Plaid, and 
is larger than a teacup. He described 
to me the reverential way in which Scott 
took it in both hands when he showed 
it to him. The whole evening was pleas- 
ant and the more so from being unex- 
pected. . . . One little thing which 
adds always to the charm of Scotch 
scenery is the dress of the peasantry. 
One never sees the real Highland cos- 
tume, but every shepherd has his plaid 
slung over one shoulder, making the 
most graceful drapery. This, with the 
universal Glengarry bonnet, is very 
pretty. 

At Glasgow we intended to pay a 
visit of a day to the historian Alison, 
but found letters announcing Governor 
Davis's arrival in London with Mr. 
Corcoran and immediately turned our 
208 



Letters from England 

faces homeward. We were to have 
passed a week on our return amidst the 
lakes, and I protested against going 
back to London without one look at 
least. So we stopped at Kendal on Sat- 
urday, took a little carriage over to 
Windermere and Ambleside and passed 
the whole evening with the poet and 
Mrs. Wordsworth, at their own exqui- 
site home on Rydal Mount. At ten 
o'clock we went from there to Miss 
Martineau, who has built the prettiest 
of houses in this valley near to Mrs. 
Arnold at Fox Howe. As we had only 
one day we made an arrangement with 
Miss Martineau to go with us and be 
our guide, and set out the next day at 
six o'clock and went over to Keswick to 
breakfast. From thence we went to Bor- 
rowdale, by the side of Derwentwater, 
and afterward to Ulswater and home 
by the fine pass of Kirkstone. On my 
209 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

return, I found the Duke and Duchess 
of Argyle had been to see us. 

The time for closing the despatch bag 
has come and I must hurry over my de- 
light at the scenery of the lakes. I could 
have spent a month there, much to my 
mind. We arrived home on Monday 
and early next morning came Mr. Davis 
and Mr. Corcoran. They went to see 
the Parliament prorogued in person by 
the Queen. 

To Mr. and Mrs. I. P. D. 

London, December 14, 1848. 

Dear Uncle and Aunt: On Fri- 
day we dined at Mr. Tufnell's, who mar- 
ried last spring the daughter of Lord 
Rosebery, Lady Anne Primrose, a very 
" nice person," to use the favorite Eng- 
lish term of praise. ... Sir John 
Hobhouse was of our party and he 

told us so much of Byron, who was 
310 




GEORGE BANCROFT 

Probably taken at Brady's National Gallery, New York, sometime after !i 
return from England ; from a picture owned by Elizabeth B. Bliss 



Letters from England 

his intimate friend, as you will remem- 
ber from his Life, that we stayed much 
longer than usual at dinner. . . . On 
Tuesday we were invited to dine with 
Miss Coutts, but were engaged to Mr. 
Gurney, an immensely rich Quaker 
banker, brother of Mrs. Fry. His 
daughter is married to Ernest Bunsen, 
the second son of our friend. We were 
delighted with the whole family scene, 
which was quite unlike anything we have 
seen in England. They live at Upton 
Park, a pretty country seat about eight 
miles from us, and are surrounded by 
their children and grandchildren. Their 
costume and language are strictly 
Quaker, which was most becoming to 
Mrs. Gurney's sweet, placid face. 
. . . Louis Napoleon's election seems 
fixed, and is to me one of the most as- 
tounding things of the age. When we 
passed several days with him at Mr. 

211 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

Bates's, I would not have given two 
straws for his chance of a future career. 
To-night Mendelssohn's " Elijah " is 
to be performed, and Jenny Lind sings. 
We had not been able to get tickets, 
which have been sold for five guineas 
apiece the last few days. To my great 
joy Miss Coutts has this moment written 
me that she has two for our use, and 
asks us to take an early dinner at five 
with her and accompany her. 

To I. A. D. 

London, June 8, 1849. 

I thank you, my dear Uncle, for your 
pleasant letter, which contained as usual 
much that was interesting to me. And 
so Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence are to be our 
successors. . . . Happy as we have 
been here, I have a great satisfaction 
that we are setting rather than rising; 
212 



Letters from England 

that we have done our work, instead of 
having it to do. Like all our pleasures, 
those here are earned by fatigue and 
effort, and I would not willingly live the 
last three years over again, or three 
years like them, though they have con- 
tained high and lasting gratifications. 
We have constantly the strongest ex- 
pressions of regret at our approaching 
departure, and in many cases it is, I 
know, most genuine. My relations here 
have been most agreeable, and particu- 
larly in that intellectual circle whose 
high character and culture have made 
their regard most precious to me. The 
manifestations of this kindness increase 
as the time approaches for our going 
and we are inundated with invitations of 
all kinds. 

Young Prescott is here. I wish Pres- 
cott could have seen his reception at 
Lady Lovelace's the other evening when 
213 



Mrs. George Bancroft's 

there happened to be a collection of 
genius and literature. What a blessing 
it is sometimes to a son to have a father. 
To-morrow we dine with Lord John 
Russell down at Pembroke Lodge in 
Richmond Park. On Monday we 
breakfast with Macaulay. We met 
him at dinner this week at Lady Walde- 
grave's, and he said: "Would you be 
willing to breakfast with me some morn- 
ing, if I asked one or two other ladies? " 
"Willing!" I said, "I should be de- 
lighted beyond measure." So he sent 
us a note for Monday next. I depend 
upon seeing his bachelor establishment, 
his library, and mode of life. On 
Wednesday we go to a ball at the Pal- 
ace. But it is useless to go on, for every 
day is filled in this way, and gives you 
an idea of London in the season. 



214 



Letters from England 



To I. P. D. 

London, June 22, 1849. 

My dear Uncle: Yesterday I 
passed one of the most agreeable days 
I have had in England at Oxford, where 
I went with a party to see Mr. Bancroft 
take his degree. . . . Nothing could 
have gone off better than the whole 
thing. Mr. Bancroft went up the day 
before, but Mrs. Stuart Mackenzie and 
her daughter, with Lady Elizabeth 
Waldegrave, Louisa, and myself went 
up yesterday morning and returned at 
night. We lunched at the Vice-Chancel- 
lor's (where Mr. B. made a pleasant 
little informal speech) and were treated 
with great kindness by everybody. I 
wish you could have seen Mr. Bancroft 
walking round all day with his scarlet 
gown and round velvet cap, such as you 
215 



Letters from England 

see in old Venetian pictures. From this 
time forward we shall have the pain of 
bidding adieu, one by one, to our friends, 
as they leave town not to return till we 
are gone. 



216 



INDEX OF NAMES 



Addison, 14 

Adelaide, Madam, 157, 158, 167 

Albert, Prince, 49, 66, 69, 101, 102, 

103, 104, 184, 191, 192, 193 
Alboni, 99, 112 
Alison, Mr., 109, 208 
Alison, Archdeacon, 109 
Ambleside, 209 
Amelie, Queen, 164-166 
Amiens, 162 

America, 24, 83, 121, 155, 161 
Americans, 50, 10S, 155, 158 
Andersen, 122 
Anglesey, Marquis of, 74 
Appleton, Mr. T., n 
Apsley House, 115 
Ardtornish, Castle of, 207 
Argyle, Duke and Duchess of, 210 
Arnold, Dr., 81, 124 
Arnold, Mrs., 209 
Arthur's Seat, 197 
Ashburton, Lord, 83 
Ashburton, Lady, 83-84 
Ashley, Lord and Lady, 23 
Aspinwall, Mr., 11, 17 
Aspinwall, Mrs., 17 
Aston Hall, 9 
Athenseum Club, 16, 19 
Athol, Duke of, 67, 200, 201, 202 
Athol, Duchess of, 36, 202 
Atkinson, Mr., 17 
Atkinson, Mrs., 17 
Auckland, Lord, 20, 28, 188 
Audley End, 136 
Austin, Charles, 170 
Austin, Mrs., 122, 167 

2 



Austria, 171 
Aylmer, Lord, 57, 58 

Babbage, 35 

Bancroft, Mr., 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 
2- 25, 26, 37, 41, 45, 52, 58, 62, 

64. 74. 77. 84. 93. 95. 9 6 . 99. I02 » 
107, 109, in, 113, 121, 122, 123, 

»3'> '33. '34. 135, 138, "43- MS. 

'47. '55. J S7» x 59> I 6o. 161, 162, 

163, 175, 177, 178, 185, 190, 191, 

192, 199, 206, 215 
Bancroft, Mrs., 26, 95, 160 
Baring, Mr. Thomas, 83 
Bates, Mr., 11, 43, 47, 52, 165, 212 
Bates, Mrs., 11, 12 
Belgians, King of the, 121 
Bentinck, Lord George, 189, 196 
Beresford, Lord John, 189 
Beresford, Major, 143 
Berlin, 171 
Berry, the Misses, 77, 88, 90, 97, 

150, 158 
Beust, Baroness de, 95 
Birmingham, 8, 9 
Birnam Wood, 200 
Blair Athol, 200, 201 
Blanc, Louis, 181 
Blenheim, 196 
Bliss, A., 132, 144, 171 
Boileau, Mr., 143 
Boileau, Sir John, 140 
Boleyn, Anne, 48 
Borneo, 144, 150, 151 
Borrowdale, 209 
Boston, 38, 71, 188 

17 



Index of Names 



Bowles, General, 101 
Boyd, Mr., n 
Bracebridge Hall, 9 
Braybrooke, Lord, 131, 137, 140, 

142 
Braybrooke, Lady, 137, 138 
Braye, Lady, 156 
Breadalbane, Lord, 203, 205 
Breadalbane, Lady, 205 
British Museum, 120 
Brodhead, Mr., 64, 83, 163 
Broglie, Due de, 146, 163 
Brooke, of Sarawak, 143, 150 
Brooks, 64 
Brougham, Lord, 75, 77, 88, 124, 

154 
Bruce, 208 

Brunnow, Baron, 113 
Brunnow, Baroness, 94, 113 
Brussels, 165 

Buccleuch, Duke of, 67, 20a 
Buccleuch, Duchess of, 202 
Buckingham Palace, 117 
Buckland, Dr., 78 
Bunsen, Chevalier, 34, 79, 81, 

'7* 
Bunsen, Madam, 79, 81, 94 
Bunsen, Ernest, 211 
Buonaparte, Jerome, 46 
Buonaparte, Louis, 46, 211 
Buonaparte, Napoleon, 46 
Burdett, Sir Francis, 57 
Burdett, Sir William, 57 
Burdett, the Misses, 186 
Burgh, Lady Emily de, 22 
Butler, Mr., 144 
Byron, Lady, 105, 106, 108, in, 

117, 119 
Byron, Lord, 118, 210 
Byron, Lord and Lady, 101 

Callimachi, Princess, 67, 95 
Calton Hill, 197 
Cambridge, 37, 38, 124, 125 



Cambridge, Duke of, 67, 133, 133, 

134 
Cambridge, Duchess of, 183, 187 
Camden, Marquis of, 67 
Campbell, Lord, 78 
Campbell, Sir Colin, 207 
Campbell, Miss, 207 
Canning, Sir Stratford, 73 
Carlisle, Lord, 190 
Carlisle, Lady, 190 
Carlyle, Mr., 35, 82, 83 
Carlyle, Mrs., 82 
Castle Howard, 190 
Castle Rock, 197 
Cates, 46, 54, 163 
Chantrey, Lady, 79, 185 
Charleville, Dowager Countess of, 

40. S6, 57 
Charlotte, Princess, 107 
Charlotte, Queen, 139 
Chartists, 173, 175, 176, 177 
Chatterton, Sir William, 58 
Chatterton, Lady, 58 
Chiswick, 184 
Circourt, Countess of, 96 
Clanricarde, Marquis of, 27 
Clanricarde, Marchioness of, 22, 27 
Claremont, 107, 108 
Clarendon, Lord, 17 
Clementine, Princess, 165 
Coates, Mr., 71 
Codrington, Sir Edward, 156 
Colchester, Lady, 57, 58 
Colman, Mr., 11, 17 
Compton, Lord Alwyne, 129, 130 
Constantine, Grand Duke, 112, 

113, 120 
Coolidge, Mr. Joseph, n 
Corcoran, Mr., 71, 208, 210 
Cork, 121 

Cornwallis, Lord, 137, 141 
Cornwallis, Marquis, 137 
Coutts, Miss Angelina, 57, 123, 
186, 187, 189, 211, 212 
18 



Index of Names 



Cousin, 99, 159, 180 
Covent Garden, 99 
Craigcrook, 198 
Cromwell, 108 
Cushman, Elder, 156 
Cushman, the Misses, 156 
Cust, Sir Edward, 93, 94 

Dalhousie, Lord, 101, 102, 104 
Dalhousie, Lady, 101 
Damar, Colonel and Mrs. Daw- 
son, 154 
Dana, Richard H., 118 
Davis, Governor, 208, 210 
Davis, W. T., 82, 83 
Denmark, 172 
Denison, Mr., 195 
Denison, Lady Charlotte, 195 
Derby, Countess of, 36 
D'Eresby, Lord Willoughby, 61 
Derwentwater, 209 
Devonshire, Duke of, 185, 193 
Devonshire, Duchess of, 90, 191 
Dexter, Mr. Franklin, 17, 18 
Dexter, Mrs., 11, 17, 18 
Dietrichstein, Countess, 94 
Disraeli, Mr. and Mrs., 174 
Douro, Lord, 131, 187 
Douro, Marchioness of, 69, 70, 187 
Drayton Manor, 89 
Drummond, 198 
Drummond, Mrs., 178 
Dryden, 80 

Duff Gordon, Sir William, 92 
Duff Gordon, Lady, 92, 122 
Dundonald, Lord, 124 
Dunkeld, 200, 201 
Dunolly, 206 
Dunsinane, 200 

East Sheen, 43, 44, 165 
Eaton Square, 15, 145 
Ebrington, Lord, 23 
Edinburgh, 197, 198 



Elizabeth, Queen, 136 

Ellenborough, Lord, 57 

Elliott, Mr. Frederick, 35 

Ely, 37. Sa 

Ely, Dean of, 38, 52 

Emerson, R. \V., 144, 145, 167, 

l6 9. '73 
Empson, Mr., 199 
England, 9, 12, 29, 34, 36, 50, 76, 

83, 98, 142, 151, 170, 173, 176, 

205, 211, 215 
" Eothen," 74, 90, 92, 115 
Esher, 105, 106 
Estcourt, Colonel, 36 
Eton, 124, 125 
Euclid, 149 

Europe, 86, 116, 170, 173 
Everett, Mr., 25, 34 
Exeter, Marquis of, 101, 102 
Exeter, Marchioness of, 101 

Faraday, 185 

Fitzherbert, Mrs., 154 

Fitzroy, Lord William, 50 

Flitton, Mr. and Mrs., 143 

Flocon, 181 

Fonblanc, 35 

Forbes, Mr., iai 

Foster, Sir Augustus, 156 

Foster, Lady Albinia, 156 

Fox, C. J., 90, 98 

Fox Howe, 209 

France, 160, 161, 162, 169, 170, 171, 

176, 178, 179 
Franklin, Lady, 15s 
Frith of Forth, 197 
Fry, Mrs., 211 

Gair, Mr., 11 
George IV., 154 
Gibson, Mrs. Milner, 174 
Glasgow, 208 
Gloucester, Duke of, 154 
Goodwin, Mrs., 56 

iq 



Index of Names 



Gordon, Mr., 197, 198 

Grammont, de, 22 

Grenville, Mr., 147 

Greville, Mr. Algernon, 58, 59 

Grey, Earl, »8 

Grey, Countess, 24, 28 

Grey, Sir George, 15, 17, 28, 145, 

18S 
Grey, Lady, 28, 146 
Grisi, 99, 112 
Grote, Mr., 160 
Grundy, Mrs., no 
Guizot, 85, 99, 161, 168, 185 
Guizot, Mademoiselle, 185 
Gurney, Mr. and Mrs., 211 

Haight, Mr., n 

Hall, Sir Benjamin, 74 

Hallam, Mr., 96, xoi, 120, 152, 

163, 170 
Hallam, Miss, 152 
Hampton Court, 109 
Harcourt, Earl, 127 
Harcourt, Mr., 13, 15, 16, 19, 74, 

75. I9S 
Harding, Mr., 109 
Hawes, Mr., 38, 143 
Hawes, Mrs., 143 
Hawthornden, 198 
Hawtrey, Dr., 124, 125 
Hayward, Mr., 97 
Henry IV., 79 
Henry VIII. ,48 
Hobhouse, Sir John, 210 
Holland, Dr., it, 18, 23, 28, 32, 

S3. 156, «S8 
Holland, Mrs., 18 
Holland, Lord, 13, 14 
Holland, Lady, 13, 25 
Holland, Lady (formerly Lady 

Webster), 190 
Holland, 193 
Holland House, 14 
Hooker, Sir William, 50, 51, 52 



Hooker, Lady, 50 
Hortense, 46 

Howard de Walden, 137, 139 
Howitt, William, 40 
Howitt, Mary, 40 
Hudson, Mr., 113, 189, 193 
Hudson, Mrs., 1 14 
Humber, 193 
Humboldt, Baron, 157 

Ingestre, Lord, 189 

Inglis, Sir Robert, 73 

Inverness, Duchess of, 28, 32, 37 

Ireland, 173 

Irving, Washington, 9 

Isidore, 62, 63 

Italy, 139, 172, 173 

Jackson, Madam, 36 

James I., 35 

James, G. P. R., 107 

Jameson, Mrs., 173 

Jarnac, Count, 163, 165 

Jay, Mr. Joseph, 11, 17 

Jay, Miss. 17 

Jeffrey, Lord, 198, 199, 200 

Jeffrey, Mrs., 199, 200 

Jersey, Lady, 187 

Josephine, 46, 1(7 

Keats, 45 
Kendal, 209 
Kensington, 14 
Kent, Duchess of, 23 
Kenyon, 163 
Keswick, 209 
Kew Gardens, 50, 51, 68 
Kildare. Lord, 127 
Kinglake, Mr., 91 
Kirkland, Mrs., 155 
Kirkstone, 209 

Labouchere, Mr.. 75 
Lamartine, 99, 181 



Index of Names 



Langdale, Lord, 46, 47 
Langdale, Lady, 46, 47 
Lansdowne, Lord, 23, 24, 17, 69, 

70, 71, 87, 116, i2i, 167, 188 
Lawrence, Mr. and Mrs., 212 
Leicestershire, 105 
Leopold, Prince, 107 
Leslie, Mr. and Mrs., 36 
Leveson-Gower, Lady Caroline, 

127 
Lewis, Lady Theresa, 17, 28 
Leyden, 122 
Lieven, Princess de, 168 
Lincolnshire, 193 
Lind, Jenny, 112, 182, 212 
Lindsay, Lady Charlotte, 32, 77, 

88, 153, 158 
Lisboa, Mr., 52 

Lisboa, Madame, 52, 94, 101, 102 
Liverpool, 4, s, 6, 8 
London, 9, 10, 12, 14, 19, 21, 27, 

33. 56. 62. "4. i25i M3i «45. M7. 

148, 150, 161, 167, 168, 175, 180, 

189, 191, 196, 208, 209, 214 
London, Bishop of, 73, 124 
Lonsdale, Lord, 189 
Lorn, brooch of, 207 
Louis, ex- King of Holland, 46 
Louis Philippe, 157, 162, 163, 164, 

165, 166, 167, 168, 180, 181 
Louisa, 7, 38, 76, 109, 215 
Lovelace, Lord, 105 
Lovelace, Lady, 105, 106, 119, 213 
Lyell, Mrs., 148 

Macaulay, 18, 32, 75, 146, 152, 153, 

169, 170, 214 
MacDougal, Captain, 207 
MacGregor, Mr., 58 
Mackenzie, Mrs. Stuart, 215 
Mackintosh, Mr., 18, 75 
Macready, 34 
Madison, 156 
Madison, Mrs., 31 



Mahon, Lord, 15, 28, 75, 96, 152, 

•53 
Mahon, Lady, 75 
Mallet, Lady, 88 
Mansfield, Mrs., 74, 176 
Mansion House, 132 
Mario, 112 
Markwell, Mr., 10 
Marlborough, Duke of, 196 
Martineau, Miss, 209 
Mason, 31 

Mathew, Father, 121 
Mauley, Lord de, 13, 14 
Mayor, The Lord, 132, 133, 134, 

136, 188 
Mayoress, The Lady, 132, 133, 134 
Melbourne, Lord, 14 
Mendelssohn, 212 
Mexico, 144 
McLean, Judge, 115 
McLean, Mr. and Mrs., 115 
Metternich, Prince and Princess, 

186 
Mignet, 99, 159, 178, 180 
Milman, Mr., 28, 32, 92, 129, 152, 

153* 169 
Milman, Mrs., 32, 82, 92, 129, 130, 

170 
Milnes, Monckton, 167,169 
Mole, Count, 161 
Molesworth, Sir William, 74, 98 
Molesworth, Lady, 74, 98 
Monroe, 156 

Montebello, Due de, 176 
Monteagle, Lord, 52, 121, 185 
Montpensier, Duchess de, 164, 165 
Mont St. Bernard, 145 
Moore, 122, 123 
Morgan, Lady, 18, 35, 38, 74, 81, 

'73 
Morpeth, Lord, 13, 14, 17, ao, 28, 

90, 169, 170, 190, 191 
Mount F.dgcumbe, Lady, 103 
Murchison, Sir Roderick, 35 



221 



Index of Names 



Murray, Miss, 35, 36, 63, 65, 67, 
68, 82, 105, 107, 109, no, 115, 
117 

Murray, Mrs., 20 

Napoleon, 167 

Navarino, 156 

Nemours, Due de, 164, 165, 180 

Nemours, Duchess de, 164 

Newby Park, 189, 190, 194 

New York, 10 

Norfolk, Duke of, 101, 102 

Normanby, Lord, 35, 159, 207 

Normanby, Lady, 85 

Norreys, Lord and Lady, 195 

North, Lord, 32, 77 

Northampton, Lord, 73, 79, 129 

Northumberland, Duke of, 78 

Northumberland, Duke and 

Duchess of, 185 
Norton, Mrs., 87, 174 
Norwich, 128, 129 
Norwich, Bishop of, 81, 88, 129 
Nuneham, 126, 195 



Peacock, Dean, 38 

Peel, Sir Robert, 76, 87, 89, 152, 

i53> '95. 196 
Peel, Lady, 89, 195, 196 
Pell, Mr. and Mrs., 8a 
Phidias, 120 
Philadelphia, 10 
Phipps, Mr. and Mrs., 207 
Pickering, Mr., 17 
Pleasantons, 33 
Plymouth, 24, 187, 193 
Polignac, Prince, 22 
Polk, President, 31 
Polk, Mrs., 26 
Polk, Mr., 115 
Poland, 172 
Pontois, 159 
Portland, Duke of, 196 
Pratt, Miss, 17 
Prescott, 96, 161, 213 
Primrose, Lady Ann, 210 
Prussia, Prince of, 184 
Putnam, Mr., 17, 40 
Putnam, Mrs., 17 



Oban, 206 

O'Connor, Dennis, 72, 73 

Opie, Mrs., 130 

Otis, Mrs., 38 

Oxford, 196, 215 

Pakenham, Mr., 144 
Pakington, Sir John, 91 
Palmerston, Lord, 13, 15, 18 

27, 28, 84, 101, 185, 188 
Palmerston, Lady, 13, 14, 15, 

28, 75, 82, 84, 93, 95, 101, 
185 

Paris, 95, 96,99, 103, 155, 157, 

162, 164, 168, 177, 178, 181 
Parke, Baron, 18, 28, 78 
Parke, Lady, 18, 114 
Payne, Annie, 31 
Peabody, Mr., 71 



Queensberry, Marquis and 
Marchioness of, 156 

Rachel, 123 

Raffles, Sir Stamford, 51 
Raffles, Lady,' 5 1 
Rathbone, Richard, 5 
Rathbone, Mrs. Richard, 5 
24, Rathbone, William, 8 

Rebecco, 139 
22, Reynolds, Sir Joshua, 196 
103, Richmond, Duke of, 189, 192, 193 

Richmond Park, 43, 48, 178, 214 
158, Riggs, Mr., 71 

Robinson, John, 122 
Rochester, Bishop of, 67, 91 
Rogers, Samuel, 16, 87, 88, 89, 92, 
97, 98, 117, 118, 119, 122, 123, 
144, 147, 156, 186 
222 



Index of Names 



Rollin, Ledru-, 181 

Rome, 34 

Ross, us 

Rosebery, Lord, aio 

Roslin, Lord, 198 

Roslin Castle and Chapel, 198 

Rothschild, Baron, 163, 164 

Rothschild, Baroness, 115, 164 

Ruckers, Miss, 33 

Rubens, 196 

Russell, Lord John, 27, 28, 32, 84, 

87, 123, 188, 214 
Russell, Lady John, 27, 151 
Russia, 172 

Rutherford, Captain, 198, 199 
Rutherford, Mr., 73, 197 
Rutherford, Mrs., 198 
Rydal Mount, 209 

St. Aulair, Count of, 84 
St. Aulair, Countess of, 94 
St. George's Chapel, 126 
St. Mary's Abbey, 191 
Salisbury Crags, 197 
Salvandi, 99 
Sarawak, 143, 150, 151 
Saxe-Coburg, Prince Auguste de, 

165 
Saxe- Weimar, Prince of, 23 
Saxe-Weimar, Grand Duke of, 

112, 113 
Saxe-Weimar, Grand Duchess of, 

112, 113, 183 
Scotland, 197, 203 
Scott, 208 

Senior, Mr., 68, 91, 92 
Seymour, Jane, 48 
Sheridan, Mr. and Mrs., 174 
Simpkinson, Sir Francis, 155 
Simpkinson, Lady, 155 
Smith, Sidney, 18, 75 
Somerville, Dr. and Mrs., 148 
Sophia, Princess, 186 
Spencer, Lord, 206 



Stai : ], Madam de, 146 
Stafford House, 117, 119 
Stanley, Lord, 116 
Stanley, Mrs., 81, 130 
Stanley, the Misses, 130 
Stanley, A., 130 
Stanley, Mr., 158 
Story, Mr. W. W., 86 
Story, Mrs., 85 
Stratheden, Lady, 75 
Strickland, Mrs., 115 
Stuart de Rothesay, Lady, 158 
Suffield, Lady, 130, 131 
Suffolk, Earl of, 136, 137 
Sumner, Charles, 20 
Sumner, George, 159 
Sussex, Duke of, 28. 32 
Sutherland, Duke of, 117 
Sutherland, Duchess of, 69, 75, 
81, 115, 116, 127 

Tagent, Mr., 15s 
Tamburini, 99, 112 
Tankerville, Lady, 21 
Tay, 200 

Taylor, Mr., 52, 53 
Taymouth, 203 
Taymouth Castle, 204 
Thackeray, 166 
Thierry, 99 

Thiers, 99, 159, 178, 180 
Tilt, 201 
Tower, 189 
Traveller's Club, 16 
Trinity College, 37 
Tufnell, Mr., 210 
Tuft, Miss, 187 
Tunnel, i3t/' 
Tyrrell, Sir John, 143 

Ulswater, 209 
United States, 96, 156 

Vandyke, 196 
Van Wart, Mr., 9 



■' 







223 



Index of Names 



Van de Weyer, Mr., 46, 47, 84, 
165, 167 

Van de Weyer, Madame, 46, 47, 
48, 49, 67, 84, 94, 167 

Vane, Lord Harry, 195 

Venice, 148 

Vernon, Lord, 126 

Victoria, Queen, 13, 16, 23, 24, 25, 
26, 49, 65, 68, 69, 70, 74, 82, 93, 
94> 95t ""> IOI > "'-, 10 3> '"4 1 
107, in, 115, n6, 117, 126, 146, 
165, 176, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 
188, 206, 210 

Villiers, Lord and Lady, 195 

Villiers, Lady Clementina, 187 

Waldegrave, Lady, 154, 214 
Waldegrave, Lady E., 215 
Wales, Prince of, 66. 126 
Walker, Mrs., 33 
Walpole, Horace, 77, 88, 154 
Warburton, 92 
Warburton, E., 92, 114 
Ward, Mr., 144 
Washington, 26, 28, 33 
Watt, Mr., 9 
Webster, Lady, 189, 190 
Wellesley, Lord Charles, 101 
Wellington, Duke of, 69, 70, 101, 
114, 115, 116, 131, 187, 188 



Western Islands, 206 
Westminster Abbey, 21, 30, 53, 78, 

79, 80, 141 
Westminster, Dean of, 79, 80, 124 
Westminster School, 79 
Westminster Hall, 121 
Whately, Dr., 91, 121, 124 
Whewell, 60 
Whitworth, Lord, 58 
Wight, Isle of, 176 
Wilkes, Miss, 199 
Wilson, Professor, 196, 197 
Windemere, 209 
Windsor Castle, 16, 23, 24, 25, m, 

126 
Winthrop, Mr., 109, no, in 
Wolsey, Cardinal, 108 
Wood's Hole, 207 
Wordsworth, Mr. and Mrs., 209 
Wormeley, Captain, n, 82 
Wormeley, Mrs., n, 17, 82 
Wormeley, Miss, n, 82 

Yarmouth, 131 

York, 189, 190, 191, 194 

York, Archbishop of, 13, 81, 126, 

127, 128, 147, 195 
Yorkshire, 188, 189, 193 

Zetland, Earl of, 69, 70 



224 




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